The HAND of the POTTER 



BY 

THEODORE I?REISER 



A Tragedy in Four Acts 




BONI AND LIVERIGHT 

NEW YORK 1918 



(i'&^^'t 



£^ 






v^ 



Copyright, 1918, 
Bt BONI & UVERIGHT, Inc. , 



All rights reserved, including rights of production 
and adaptation 



itP 2/ !9!9 



©Ci.A530 97l ■^■ 

Jiecorded 



*Wha\t! did the Hand then of the Potter shake?* " 

Omae Khayyam. 



Chaeacters 

Aaron Berchansky, the father, cm' old Jewish thread 

peddler. 
Rebecca, his wife. 

ISADORE — 21 



their 
daughters^ 



-r -.« .their sons 

Joseph — 17 

Masha, lame, an embroideress hy trade -i 

Rae, a manicure 

Esther (Mrs. Greenbaum), am> elderl 

sister 

George Greenbaum, Esther^s husband. 

TiLLiE, the Greenhaumis^ daughter, 

Kitty Neafie, aged eleven, daughter of an Irish 

neighbor. 

Mary Neafie, her mother. 

Mrs. Lersch, a neighbor. 

RuTGER B. Miller, Assistant District Attorney. 

The Clerk of the Grand Jury. 



Characters — Continued 



Foreman of the Grand Jury. 

A Doorkeeper. 

Emil Daubenspeck, a German cabmet-maker. 

RuFus Bush, an expressman. 

Samuel Elkas, keeper of a furnished-room house. 

Hagar Elkas, his daughter. 

Thomas McKagg, policeman. 

Ed Armsby, of the Herald 

Stephen Leach, of the Times [reporters, 

Dennis Quinn, of the Sun 

McGranahan 1 

Harsh {.detectives. 

Skumm J 

An Inspector of Police. 

Neighbors. 

Jurors. 

Voices. 



ACT I 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

ACT I 

Scene 

The top floor -flat of Aaron Beechansky in the 
crowded Jewish section of the Upper East Side 
of New York City, In this instance the dining 
and living rooms are one. Forward of left center 
a door, giving out into the general hall, where oc- 
casionally noises of tenants going to and fro on 
the stairs below can be heard. Bach of this door 
a little way, and against the wall, a cheap yellow 
bookcase filled with more or less shabby books, old 
magazines and papers. On the top of this bookcase, 
center, an old-fashioned wooden clock which ticks 
noisily whenever other sounds cease; to its right, 
facing it, a five-branch candlestick of brass con^ 
taini/ng half-burned candles. Right center, a win- 
dow with a fire-escape giving into a court, and 
beyond this court the whitewashed wall and window 
of another apartment, obviously vacant. In the 
center of the room a general dining and work table 
15 



16 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

of the same quality as the hoolccase, and on it a 
red cotton tablecloth, a basket filed with sewing 
(socks, underwear, buttons), and to one side an 
inkstand and pen. A few chairs of poor design 
are scattered about. Right center, agavnst the 
wall, an old sewing machine, severely battered, 
with a cheap velour cover on it. On it a samovar 
of brass. Forward of left center, a door giving 
into a bathroom. Rear of left center, two doors, 
one giving into a small bedroom or alcove, the' 
other, beyond it, into the kitchen. The doors into 
the bedroom and kitchen are curtained with faded 
half-cotton, half-silk portieres. On the inside of 
the door, which gives into the hall, a mezuze, the 
Jewish luck-piece. 

Time 

About two-thirty of a hot Saturday afternoon in 
July. As the curtain rises, the father, mother, 
and lame daughter Mash a are disclosed. Owing to 
the fact that Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath, no 
work is being done, though the Saturday afternoon 
gayety and activity of the city is pl-aimly vn the 
air. Aaron Berchansky is sitting at the table 
reading. The lame girl is also reading, between the 
table and the window. Mrs. Berchansky, who has 
been in the kitchen, is seen entering. She is wear- 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 17 

inff a worn black silk shawl, and is ohviously pre- 
pared to go somewhere. She is of that order of 
poor Jewess who has suffered much, whose face is 
sad and careworn, and who, at her time of life, 
goes uncorseted. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[^Speaking with the Yiddish accent and in the 
vernacular of her class. 1 
You hear me ! Are you ready to come ? Oi, it's 
hot! 

MASHA 

[^ dark, pale, thin-faced girl, with delicate, 

bloodless hands. She pauses from her reading 

and looks up.'\ 

Oh, yes ; come. Let's go to the park. The sun 

on this tin roof is terrible. It makes me sick. No 

wonder the Hirshes moved out. [^She looks across the 

court to the emptif apartment.^ They couldn't stand 

that top floor. 

BERCHANSKY 

\_Looking up and over also, and closing his book. 
He is a kind-faced, slightly stooped and griz- 
zled man of fifty-five, with sunken bloodless 



18 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

cheeJcs, a very spare frame, and deep-set, 
hea'mly eye-browed eyes. His partially hold 
head is surmounted by the customary Jewish 
hlacJc cotton skull-cap. Tufts of hair pro- 
trude fropi over his ears. He has a weary, 
mdefinite and yet meditative air.^ 
So ! Dey vent ! Yes, but, Masha, my dear, it'takes 
money to move. I voiild never live under a tin roof 
if I could afford somet'ing better. \^Rises and walks 
over to her and takes her hand and pats if.] Come, 
now. You read later. Mamma, leben, ve vill go, den. 
Yes. {JReturning to the table.^ But dis book — it 
interests me. Here is a writer — oi! but he knows! 
If t'ings should be so as he makes dem, den ve vould 
not live under tin roofs in hot vedder — de rich so 
rich, de poor so poor, Ach! \Picks up the book.^ 
Masha, my dear, come here. Look. Oi, it's fine 
leather! In a second-hand store I got it. Twenty- 
five cents ! {With a movement of his hands. '\ But I 
should care! Now, it vould be vorth five dollars.. 
Ach, I take it along. Under de trees I can read. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

{Bringing the lame girl her hat and ca/ne.'\ 
Stop talking books. Vot you read, it don't help. 
Ve verk just de same. {Aside, nudging her daugh- 
ter,!^ Tell him he should hurry. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 19 



MASHA 



[CTieerfuUy, taking her hat and caneJ\ 
V We're ready, papa. [^Steps are heard on the stair; 
the door opens.^ 

That's Rae, I guess. 

BERCHANSKY 

\With a desire to he cheerf'ul.'\ 
So, you're home, den. 

RA£ 

\Entervrhg.'\ 
Hello, everybody ! Gee, it's hot ! I'm all in. I've 
done seven heads this mornin' without a break, not a 
minute between. Maybe ya think that ain't work. 
Say! Wotcha doin', everybody? Where ya goin'? 
[Takes of her hat and coat, and begins to tmdo 
her waist. She is of that vulgar- smart class 
of young Jewess that affects the latest and 
most gaudy of everything. Her hat is of var-^ 
nished black straw with a white hand, givvng 
her face a mannish look. Her suit of linen is 
of a black-and-white check. White silk stock- 
ings, high-heeled slippers, a plain lawn shirt^ 
waist decorated with a large pink cameo, com- 
plete her costume. As she loosens her waist 
she starts to walk to the bedroom,^ 



20 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 



MASHA 



l^Limping to the xmndow and looki/ng outJ} 
To the park. Do jou want to come? 



BAE 



\_Frovi the hedroom.'] 
Park? Quitcha kiddin'. Think that's all I gotta 
do — sit on a bench in a park? Good night! I've 
got something better'n that. [By this time she has 
partially disrobed, and returns in skirt and himiono. 
Berchansky, hy a motion of the hands and a lift of 
the eyebrows, has signified plainly that he does not 
approve of this modern looseness of tongue and man- 
ner. '\ Say, whaddya think I heard t'day ? Who d'ya 
think saw Isadore, an' where? At a prize fight I 
Two weeks ago. An' whaddya think he was doin'r 
Carryin' a bucket an' a sponge to rub off one o' the 
men ! A prize fight rubber ! An' him only out o' the 
penitentiary three months, an' on probation! 

[At the mention of this, a visible pain passes 
over the faces of the others. Mrs. Berchan 
SKY looks at her husband. He stiffens anc 
looks into space, avoiding their glances 
Masha looks from mother to father, helplessli 
and in pity. J 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 21 

BEECHANSKY 

Rae ! Dat you should say such t'ings ! 

BAB 

[Htirriedly, and without appearing to notice 
the effect, the while taking the pirns out of her 
hairS^ 
Well, it's so, ain't it? A swell job, eh? Abe 
Gruber had a box seat an' saw him. Gee, I thought 
I'd drop when he told me! I thought my ears 'ud 
fry an' fall off! First it's two years in the peni- 
tentiary for assaultin' a little girl, an' now he's gotta 
come an' hang around here an' sponge at prize fights ! 
A. swell chance we've got, tryin' to do anything or be 
anybody. We'll never get away from that. Why 
don't he get out o' New York if he can't do any bet- 
ter than that? 

BEECHANSKY 

Rae ! I forbid you ! Your own brother ! 

MASHA 

\^Appealingly.^ 

You know he isn't quite right. Why do you talk 
so? Why don't you give him a chance? Think of 
his spells. 



22 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MES. BERCHANSKY 

Ach, Rae! {Putting her hands to her face and 
sighing. 1^ Ach, mein Gott! Mein Gott! Trouble, 
trouble, trouble! 

RAE 

[Defiantly.'\ 
A chance! Fine use he's made of his chances! 
What use could he make of it if he had it? {She 
stares. '\ Why don't you put him away before he 
does any more damage? You say he ain't right; 
sure, he ain't. Then what's he doin' outside Bloom- 
ingdale ? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 



[Lifting her hands. ^ 
Bloomingdale ! 



BERCHANSKY 



[Horrified at the mention of am asylwrn.^ 
An asylum! Ach, dat's horrible! 



RAE 



Oh, well! Have it your way. You'll probably 
find out when it's too late. [She walks off iizto the 
bedroom, shrugging her shoulder s.'\ 



THE HAND OP THE POTTER m 



MES. BERCHANSKY 

\_Commff o'ver to her husband and patting Mm 
on the shoulder. 1 
Ach, Aaron. Let's go. It vill be nicer in de park. 

MASHA 

Yes, let's. [^She picJcs up her book, which she has 
put down, and the three prepare to leave. As they 
approach the door to open it, other footsteps are 
heard. Pleasantly.'] It's Joe. 

{^Enter Joseph, a clean, spruce, brisk-looking 
boy of seventeen. He is jieatly, but sojnewhat 
extremely, dressed in a light tan suit and 
straw hat, and has an air of gayety and play- 
fulness about him. As he enters, he takes off 
his coat.] 

JOE 

[^Looking lightly from one to the other.] 
Cold, ain't it? What's the row.'' \_He goes toward 
the bedroom.] 

BERCHANSKY 

[Wearily and gloomily.] 
Plenty ! Plenty ! It is vith love for one anudder 
dat I vould hev my children grow up, but instead, 
vot do I hear? Nutting but quarreling an' hard 



S4 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

t'ings ! Oi ! Oi ! Such a business ! Such a business ! 
[^He shakes his head.^ 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

ISadlt/.'] 
Alvays dis fighting, dis fighting! 

RAB 

[Comkig to the bedroom door.'\ 
Who's fightin'? Who said anything? Fm sure I 
didn't. 

JOE 

What's the row? Wliat's the trouble? 

MASHA 

[SootTmigly.l 
Oh, nothing. It's about Isadore, but let's not talk 
any more. We were just going out in the park. 

JOE 

Well, what about him? Where is he? 

MASHA 

Oh, some one saw him at a prize fight, and told 
Rae. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 25 

JOE 

What fight ? Well, what of it ? What's he doin' ? 
Has he got a job? \^He walks into the bathroom, 
takes off his tie, and returns.^ 

MASHA 

Oh, we don't know. Rae's mad because he was 
helping sponge one of the men. 

JOE 

l^Interestedl^.'\ 
H'm! With his game arm.? What fight was it — 
the Neil-Kerens bout.'' 

MASHA 

J[SadXi/.^ 
Oh, I don't know. One of Rae's friends saw him. 

RAE 

\_Appeanng at the bedroom door.'\ 
Yes, an' you know as well as I do he oughtn't to 
be there. He oughtn't to be out at all. He ain't 
right, an' you know it. \_Returns.'\ 

BERCHANSKY 

[^Excitedly.'] 
Are ve goin' to begin again.'' Are ve goin' to begin 
again.'' 



26 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

JOE 

Well, what's so bad about that? I don't see. He 
hasn't done anything very wrong, has he? Plenty 
of fellows help at prize fights. [Rae clicks her 
tongue disdainfully.^ He hasn't been around here, 
has he? 

MASHA 

No. Rae wants us to put him away. 

JOE 

Where? 

MASHA 

Bloomingdale. 

JOE 

[ Though tfully. ] 
Oh, I don't know. He ain't so bad. There are 
plenty of fellows worse'n him walkin' around. 
[Pauses. 1 Of course, with that arm — [pauses 
again.^ If he'd only get a job an' stick to it, he'd 
be all right. [He disappears into the bathroom 
agamJ^ 

MES. BERCHANSKY 

\HeanMy.'] 
Ach, my poor boy! My poor boy! Vot vill be- 
come of him? Vot vill be de end? 

[She, Bebchansky, and Masha move toward the 
door, when other steps are heard, and Isa- 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 27 

DOBE enters. He is a tall, lithe, broad- 
shouldered young man of twenty or twenty- 
one, so strangely composed mentally and 
physically that he is bizarre. He is so 
badly compounded chemically .that he 
seems never to be of one mood, and has a 
restless, jerky, fidgety gait and manner. 
From moment to moment his facial expres- 
sion changes. Also, he has an affliction of the 
left arm and shoulder, which causes it to 
twitch or jerk involuntarily. He has an odd, 
receding forehead, black hair, large brown 
eyes, and a pale yet healthy skin. A huge 
seal ring of a cheap quality is on one finger^ 
a glass garnet of great size in his tie, which 
is of a flaring yellow. His hat is a small, 
round, satsyedge straw, with a bright striped 
band. His collar is very high, of the turn- 
down order, and slightly soiled. His shoes 
are yellow and patched, his socks white. Un- 
der his arm are a number of newspapers 
rolled up.^ 

ISADORE 

[Mock cheerfully. Surveying the family witH 
an air of general well being. ^ 
Well, here I arji- 



28 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

[ Jf t the sight of him Mr. and Mrs. Berchanskt 
and Masha fall hack. Berchansky opens 
his mouth slightly, Mrs. Berchansky squeezes 
her daughter's arm, Masha stiffens a/nd 
stands up very straightj\ 

BERCHANSKY 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

MASHA 

Isadore ! 

RAE 

[LooJcing out of the bedroom.'\ 
Well, of all things! So you're back, are you? 

MASHA 

\_Gently and calmly.^ 
We're glad you've come, Isadore. [Mrs. Berch- 
ansky crosses over to where he is.^ How are you? 

ISADORE 

J^With a slight touch of irritation at their sur- 
prise.'] 
Oh, I'm all right. What's the matter with you 
all? Whaddy ya all want to stare at me for? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

\^Pleadingly.'\ 
Isadore ! Ve're not staring. Ve're glad. \^Shc 
smooths his hand.^ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 29 



MASHA 



You know we're always glad to see you, Isadore. 
Why shouldn't we be? 



JOE 



[Appearkig at the bathroom door.'\ 
Hello, Is! Where do you come from? 



ISADORE 

Well, where do you think? New York, of course. 
But I'm not goin' to use that name Isadore any more. 
It's a kike name. People laugh at it. I'm Irving 
from now on. You get me ? 

JOE 

{Lightly. 1 
Oh, all right. You can't get me mad. [He 
smiles.'] 

BEBCHANSKY 

For vy you change your name? Ain't Isadore 
good enough? 

ISADORE 

Didn't I just tell you? It's a joke. Whoevjer 
picked that out must 'a' wanted to hoodoo me. 



30 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

{^Tenderli/.'l 
Isadore, vy should you say dat? 

ISADORE 

l^Softenmg and turning to herJ^ 
That's all right, mom. I don't mean nothin'. 
You know me. [Smooths her armJ\ 

MRS. BERCHANSKT 

[Solicitously, to Masha and Berchansky.] 
You go, an' I'll stay here an' talk to Isadore. 
[She talies his hand.^ 

ISADORE 

[Loftily.'\ 
No, you all go. I don't need anybody here while 
I work. I want to answer these ads. [He goes to 
the table, takes off his coat, and umfolds the papers.^ 
I'll be all right. You don't mind me stayin' here, do 
you? I'll come an' meet you later. Where'll you 
be.'* [His shoulder jerks. ~\ 

JOE 

[Coming out of the bathroom and passing into 
the bedroom, accidentally kicking over a box 
in the bedroom, en route. '\ 
What's this box doin' in here.^ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 31 

RAE 

J[Commg out to make room for Mm.^ 
It's mamma's rags. I'll put 'em away after a bit. 

BERCHANSKY 

[^Coming over to Isadore, who has sat down at 
the table and is spreading out his news- 
papers — nervously, and with a rising i/nflec- 
tion,^ 
You lost your last place? Den dey found out? 

isadore 

Sure, they did. A detective snitched on me. But 
I'll fix 'em this time. I'm goin' to get out o' New 
York soon. I'm goin' to get a job an' earn a little 
money an' then I'm goin' to go. 

BERCHANSKY 

{^Shaking his head and wringing Ms hands.'] 
More trouble. Oi ! Oi ! 

ISADORE 

\LigTitly and with a careless bravado and half- 
charm, the while his shoulder jerks occasionr 
ally.] 
Don't worry any more about me, pop. I'm all 
right. Can't you see? [Takes hold of his hand in an 



S2 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

affectionate way. Mrs. Berchansky comes over 
and stands hy him.^ I'm goin' to get a good job 
soon, mom. You know me. I like to work. I just 
got some newspapers, an' I'm goin' to answer the 
ads. [To Masha.] You haven't got any paper 
an' envelopes, have you.-* 

MASHA 

[Goi/ng to a drawer m the machme.^ 
How many do you want.? Will six do? 

ISADOBE 

[Judicially. '\ 
Better give me a dozen. [He turns to his father. 
Masha brings them over and puts them^ down. His 
shoulder jerks, and Mrs. Berchansky, who is behind 
him and out of his view, shakes her head sadly. ^ 
How's the needle an' thread business, pop? Not 
much in it, eh? An' hard work, too. Well, never 
mind ; I'll get a j ob now, an' everything's goin' to be 
all right. I'm not goin' to hang around here any 
more. [He scratches his ear meditatively. Seeing 
Rae, who has come out of the bathroom, looking at 
him.'\ You needn't be afraid of me, Rae. I'm not 
goin' to stay in New York much longer to disgrace 
you. I wanted to see the folks an' get these ads 
answered. That's why I'm here. Gee, it's hot out. 
Terrible. Where were you folks goin'? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 33 

MASHA 

Out to the park. 

JOE 

[^Bustling out -fully dressed.^ 
Well, so long, everybody. I've gotta go. [^He 
goes out.'] 

MASHA 

\Nudgmg her father. '\ 
You better come with us and leave him alone for a 
while. Don't ask him too many questions now. 

BERCHANSKY 

[^HeavUi/.'l 

Yes. Yes. Veil, you'll come, den? Ve'U be near 
de statue out here under de trees. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

You'll come, Isadore, yes? Ve'U vait for you. 
Everyt'ing vill be all right. You'll stay for dinner, 
yes? 

ISADORE 

Well, maybe. \^He nods condescendmgly. They 
all go — all hut Rae. As they disappear, he turns to 
his papers. To himself .J But how am I goin' to do 
it — that's what I'd like to know ? What kind o' ref- 
erences can I give? Say, every time a detective sees 
me now he wants to know what I'm doin'. \_The clock 



S4« THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

strikes three. 1 An' I can't seem to keep one when I 
get it. \_His shoulder jerJcs.J An' I've gotta report 
to that probation officer every month like a 
schoolboy. Say ! \^He pauses and stares at the 
paper.'] But it ain't that. It ain't that. It's their 
faces an' their nice make-ups an' the way they do 
their hair. That's what's the matter with me. It's 
their stockin's an' their open shirtwaists an' their 
shoulders an' arms. I can't stand it no more. I 
can't seem to think of no'thin' else. It's the way they 
walk an' talk an' laugh — their teeth always showin', 
an' their red lips. It's gettin' worse all the time. 
[^He gets up, stiffens. A strange^ fierce, animal 

light comes into his eyes. He breathes heav^ 

Uy and clenches his hands.] 

EAE 

[^Entering from the bedroom and noting him 

standing. She is powdered and painted — a 

picture of gauche tenement-house finery. She 

is trifling with an imitation gold chain purse.] 

Wotcha doin'.? 

ISADORE 

[Startled, and sinJcing back into his chair and 
his normal mood.] 
Answerin' some ads. Didn't I tell you.'' Whaddy 
ya think I'm doin'."* Whaddy ya wanta look at me 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 35 

that way for? {^Surveys her, and as he does so his 
mood changes. He softens and becomes objection- 
ably mushy.^ Gee, but you look good, kid. [Bech- 
onsJ^ Come over here. Give us a kiss, will you.'* 

EAE 

{^Savagely. 1 
Say, what the devil's the matter with you, any- 
how? Cut the comedy! Whaddy ya think I am? 
Another ten-year-old? \^She sniffs and switches 
toward the door.'\ 

ISADORE 

[Jumping after her and reaching the door 

first. He seizes her by the arm, the while 

his face becomes livid and his shoulder jerhs.^ 

What's the matter with you, anyhow, Rae? 

Whaddy ya think I am? Whaddy ya wanta throw 

up my past to me for? You ain't like a sister to 

me, anyhow. You never was. 

[^He attempts to pull her to him. She strikes 
him in the face.^ 

RAE 

Let go! What's the matter with you, anyhow? 
Whaddy ya think I am? Don't try to pull that 
stuff on me. You nut! \^She pushes him back.l^ 
Want me to call the police or the neighbors? A 



36 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

fine brother you are ! \_She pulls loose ami opens 
the door.^ You must he crazy — your own sister! 
[^She steps into the hall.^ I should think you'd be 
ashamed of yourself. Wait'U the family hears o' 
this! 

ISADOBE 

[WeaJcemng as she mentions the police and the 
family. '\ 
Gee, I must be crazy. I don't seem to be able to 
stand anything no more. You look so nice, — 
that's the trouble. Don't say anything to the 
folks, will you, Rae? I ain't quite right, I 
guess. Ain't I suffered enough.? Don't you know 
what I'm up against, havin' the feelin's I do? I 
ain't so bad. I just can't stand things, that's all. 
[His shoulder jerks; his face contorts.^ It's just 
their pretty faces, an' their mouths, an' their shoul- 
ders, an' the way they fix their hair. [He hecoTues 
incoherent. Steps are heard outside. He turns, 
relaxes his expression, and straightens up.'] 

[Enter Mrs. Greenbaum, with her six-year-old 
daughter. She is tall, statuesque, neatly 
dressed. From the quality of her apparel it 
is very plain that she is in considerably bet- 
ter circumstances than her parents. A tan 
silk foulard dress, white hat, and black-and- 
white striped parasol are the chief outstand- 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 37 

mg features of her garb. Her daughter 
is neatly dressed in a starched, stiff white 
dress and a green straw hat.^ 

TILIilE 

{^Runming forward. 1 
Hello, Aunty Rae ! [Kisses her.'\ 

K.AE 

Hello, Tillie! How are you? 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

[Oh serving only Rae at first, and her expres- 
sion.]^ 
Hello, Rae! What's the matter? [Seeing Isa- 
DORE, and being plainly astonished.] Why, hello, 
Isadore! Home again? Where'd you come from? 

ISADORE 

Oh, around town. Where'd you think I come 
from? But my name's not Isadore any more from 
now on. It's Irving. I'm changin' it. I'm tired of 
that kike name. Don't forget that, will you? 

RAE 

[Looking up semi-sarcasticaUy at her sister 
and smiling, as if to say: "Something new.'* 



38 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

<She twitches her head indicatively m Isa- 

dore's direction. Sotto voce.^ 
Look out for him. He's off to-day. Crazy 
about girls again. lAloud.'] But I've gotta go 
right away. The folks are all out in the park near 
the gate. [Lowering her voice.'] Don't stay here 
long alone, will you ? Get him to go out in the park, 
if you can. So long! [^Goes out.] 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

\Placatively, hut unafraid, crossing to the bed- 
room and looking m] 
So you're changing your name, are you.'' 

ISADORE 

[^Pleasantly.] 
Sure. I can't land a job with this one. It's a 
kike name, anyhow. Whaddy they wanta give me that 
kike name for, huh? \_His shoulder jerks. He 
returns to the table and takes up his papers. Tillie 
runs to him and grabs him by the knees. He looks 
down at her, picks her up and kisses her.] You're 
a pretty kid, eh.'' 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

[Walking into the bedroom and stumbling over 
the box.] 
Goodness ! What's this ? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 39 

ISADORE 

[Loohmg around.^ 
Mom's rags, I guess. She always keeps 'em 
there. 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

[^Coming out.'\ 
Where'd all the folks go, anyhow? 

ISADORE 

[Pmchmg TiUie's cheek. '\ 
They're all out in the park. Mom an' pop an' 
Masha. Out near the gate, they said. [^He fingers 
Tillie's hair.'l 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

[^Gomg to the rear window and looking out.^ 
The Hirshes have moved, haven't they? [Isadore 
turns and looks through the windows.'] My, but 
it's hot up here ! I don't wonder they went. I won- 
der papa and mamma don't move. They could 
get some other place than this, just as cheap. It's 
dreadful! What are you doing? 

ISADORE 

Oh, I'm answerin' some ads for a job. 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

I thought you just had one. 



40 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

ISADORE 

I did, but I lost it. These damned detectives keep 
followin' me around. Gee, but I don't seem to be 
able to keep anything no more. [^He scratches his 
head. His shoulder jerks. He ignores Tillie for 
the moment. 1 Everybody seems to know me. 

\_His shoulder jerks, and he looks up, ww 
happy. '\ 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

\Co7ning o'ver, leaning down and patting his 
shoulder, the while she experiences a wave of 
sympathy.'^ 
Now listen, Isadore \he looks wp] — Irving, I 
mean — you're not so badly off. Your life's all be- 
fore you, really. You've still time to make good. 
Brace up. You should do it for mamma's and 
papa's sakes. You've had a hard time but you can 
get something. You know how they worry. Peo- 
ple aren't going to always remember. They forget 
soon enough when you make good. You know how 
they forget. Look at Harold Greenberg. See what 
he did ! And now he's made good no one questions 
about his past. We're all willing to forget. Why 
keep reminding us ? George is always willing to help 
you. He can give you a job, if you want it. Why 
don't you ask him ? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 41 

ISADORE 

Yes, he would! Like hell! Didn't I ask him 
three months ago? An' did he give me anything? 
He did not! [^His shoulder jerks. '\ I've been walk- 
in' around tryin' to get sompin steady ever since. 
I know the folks don't want me here, an' I can't 
blame 'em, either. It's all my fault, of course, but — ■ 
[His shoulder jerks and his face contorts. Mrs. 
Greenbaum, mho is only partially interested, makes 
a gesture as much as to say, "Oh, what's the use?" 
and walks toward the bookcase. Isadore surveys 
TiLLiE, playing with her hair and turning her face 
so as to look into her eyes. Finally he observes. '1^ 
How old are you now, kid? 

TILLIE 

Six. I'll be seven next June. Then I'll be goin' 
to college. 

ISADORE 

[Gayly.] 
You don't say! Quick work, eh? Some scholar! 
[He turns up her chin. His shoulder jerks. J 

TILLIE 

Yes, an' I got a box of paints, an' cards that I 
can sew on, an' a sewing machine, an' now I'm goin' 



42 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

to get roller skates. An' next summer I'm goin' to 

learn to swim. 

\^He continues to stare at her, the while Mrs. 
Greenbaum picks up a magazine and exam- 
ines it, and the child babbles on. That same 
look of uncontrolled and wnnatural sex-inter- 
est begins to show in his eyes. He pushes the 
child out at arm's length and begins to stare 
pcedly. His shoulder jerks. ^ 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

\_Turning and observing the look. She starts 

and frowns, then comes over, takes the child 

by the hand and helps her down.^ 

Come, now. Say good-by to Uncle Irving. 

We're going down into the park to see grandma. 

You'll be here for dinner, won't you.^ 

ISADORE 

{^Recovering, and rising.'l 
Sure. Sure. You're goin', are you? See you 
later, eh? {He follows them to the door as they go 
out. After they have gone he returns to the table, 
apparently quite unconscious of what has just hap- 
pened, and sits down. Continuing, as he takes up a 
newspaper, his shoulder jerking.^ Gee! At last! 
I gotta do this now. \He stretches his arms, and 
reads.'l 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 43 

"WANTED, ACTOR, experienced stock man, 
to assist producing, on part or full time; 
write particulars and lowest figure consider- 
ing permanent city engagement. CARO, 92 
Steuben St., Brooklyn." 

l^Aside.li Well, I ain't an actor. I wish I was. But 
half the time they're out of a job, too. {^Medi- 
tates.^ I might act, though. Gee, that's the life! 
All them pretty girls ! I might answer that. 
\_Marks it. Begins to read again.l "Automobile 
mechanic, automobile mechanic, automobile me- 
chanic, automobile mechanic" [asifZ^] — say, look 
at all the automobile mechanics! Well, I ain't an 
automobile mechanic. I wish I was. I'd get a job 
now, maybe, out o' one o' these. \Meditates.'\ But 
this bum arm o' mine — that's the trouble. I can't 
really do nothin' steady with that. People don't 
like it. {His shoulder jerJcs. Reads.~\ "Boy, boy, 
boy, boy" — look at all the boys, will yuh.'' There's 
a whole procession of 'em. {Smiles.^ "Chauffeur, 
chauffeur, chauffeur, chauffeur." That's a good 
job, too, ridin' around in a good car. I wish I'd 
get a chance to learn that. I could pick up a nice 
girl if I had a car like that. {Meditates.^ But 
wbere'd I find out how to run one, with this arm o' 



44 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

mine? [/f jerJcs. He reads.'\ "Collector, collec- 
tor, collector" 

"COLLECTOR, Young man; reference. 11 
Murray Street, 7th floor." 

I wonder how much money they make. I oughta 
be able to do a thing like that, if I could behave 
myself and give any references. Greenbaum oughta 
help me to get that. \^He marks it. Silence. The 
clock ticks. He begins to hum a portion of a pop- 
vZar song. Reads. A knock is heard at the door — 
very soft.^ 

ISADORE 

\Pausing in his work and soliloquizing. '\ 
But look at me, anyhow! I ain't no good, much. 
I don't amount to nothin'. Here I am of a Satur- 
day afternoon when everybody else is off sportin' 
around, an' I ain't got no place to go, an' no work, 
an' no money. {He looks at his patched shoes, 
feels one, then feels in his pockets and produces a 
few cents.~\ An' look at my shoes ! I'm a bmn, 
that's what I am. I ain't no good, an' I never will 
be. I ain't had a job in two months — not a good 
one. An' nobody cares for me now no more, no- 
body but mom an' pop an' Masha, really. They 
got their own lives, an' they go on an' do things, an' 
they don't count me in on 'em, not one of 'em. They 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 45 

can't, really. J[He stares at the floor. His shovlder 
jerks. The clock ticks. The slight tap at the door 
is renewed but he pays no heed.^ Mom an' pop ! [^He 
shakes his head.]^ But they ain't got anything, 
either. They're as bad oflP as I am. Poor mom. 
I'm sorry for her. She tries so hard — all the work 
she's had. \_His shoulder jerks. 1 An' pop — he's all 
right, too, only he's almost as bad off as I am, ped- 
dlin' needles an' thread. Think o' that. [^He medi- 
tates.l An' Masha, with her game leg! An' me! 
I'm not right. I know that. I ought never 'a' been 
brought in the world. They ought never to 'a' had 
so many children. Not me, anyhow. [^He gets up.^ 
I know I'll do sompin wrong pretty soon. I feel 
it. I can't help it. I ought to kill myself, but I 
ain't got the nerve, that's what's the mat- 
ter! [He half sobs.] Pd be better off. Think 
of ten children, an' one crazy, an' one lame, an' four 
dead. Well, they're better off, anyhow. [The knock 
sounds again, lightly. He does not hear.^ I had a 
good job with that dentist, if I'd only 'a' done right, 
but I couldn't help myself. I just couldn't. I ain't 
right, that's what's the matter with me. [Medi- 
tates.'] Gee ! It's a wonder I didn't kill her, feelin' 
the way I did. I suppose I would, too, if they hadn't 
caught me. An' the way she screamed! An' the 
way they beat me up! Gee! An' that Island! I 



46 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

don't want to go back, there no more. \^He turns 
and walks about, his hands in his pockets, his eyes 
staring. '\ 

\^As he does so the door opens, and Kitty 
Neafie puts her head in. She is a plump, 
blonde, almost red-headed child of eleven, 
with blue eyes and a pink skin. She has on 
a light brown linen dress and straw hat, with 
brown slippers and stockings.^ 

KITTY NEAFIE 

[^Timidly, because of the absence of the accus- 
tomed faces.'\ 
Nobody home? Didn't Tillie come over to-day? 

ISADORE 

[^Aroused by the fact that the child is pretty 

and alone. His expression changes instantly, 

and he becomes soft and ingratiating.^ 

Hello! Who are you? \^She pauses uncertainly. 1^ 

Come on in, kid. They'll be back in a minute. I'm 

just Uncle Irving, that's all. You don't know me, 

but I belong here. Wanta see sompin? 

\^He looks around to find something to show 

her. Observes a pair of opera glasses on the 

top of the bookcase and takes them down. 

The child, smiling and interested by his manner, 

comes m.] 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 47 

KITTY NEAFIE 

[^Diffidently/. ^ 
I can't stay very long. I thought sure I'd find 
Tillie here. Ain't you Uncle Isadore.'' 

ISADORE 

Yes, that's what they used to call me, Isadore — 
that was my name, but I'm changin' it to Irving. I 
like that better — don't you? [Kitty nods her head.^ 
What's yours .P 

KITTY NEAFIE 

My name's Kitty Neafie. I live just downstairs 
here, below you, on that side, [a^^^ points.^ 

ISADORE 

Well, that's a nice name, too. But who told you 
about me.'' \_His shoulder jerks. 1 

KITTY 

Oh, Masha. She said I hadn't seen you yet, but 
that you might come some day. Haven't you ever 
been here before? \_She takes the glasses held out to 
her, and examines them. Tries to see through them.'\ 

ISADORE 

Yes, I been here once before, since we moved. 
Ain't they nice? [He smiles on her mnningly.'] 



48 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

KITTY NEAFIE 

Yes, but I can't see anything! 

ISADORE 

[^Taking the glasses and adjusting them.Ji Let 
me show you. [^His shoulder jerks.'] See here. 
Now look. See how far away everything looks. 

KITTY 

lEagerly.] 
Oh, lemme see ! Ain't it funny ! Oh, how funny 
everything looks ! [^She looks out of the window.] 

ISADORE 

{Surveying her avidly, hut with caution.] 
Now wait. Let me show you. Through this end 
everything looks near. {He adjusts them and gives 
them to her again.] Now look. 

{She takes them, puts them to her eyes and 
then begins slowly to move toward the wall, 
looking through them at the table.] 

KITTY 

Oh, how funny ! Ain't it nice ? I can see the 
table! An' your papers, an' the inkstand! {Walks 
forward again curiously and bumps into him.] Oh! 
{Laughs.] 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 49 

ISADORE 

{Excitedly, with trembling hands. 'I 
Now turn 'em the other way again, {she does 
50.] See how different it is. 

{His shoulder jerks. As she looks, he stands 
and stares at her in a greedy, savage, half- 
insane way, his face coloring. 1 

KITTY 

Oh, it's so different, ain't it? Everything looks 
so funny! {She laughs.^ 

ISADORE 

{Walking to other side of table.l 
Yes, but now look at me over here. Now watch 
me as I move. 

{He returns, slowly, coming up close to her. 
She puts out her liand and touches him. As 
she does so, his expression flares to one of 
fierce, demoniac hunger. He snatches the 
glasses away, puts them behind his back, and 
laughs a playful, semi-idiotic laugh.l^ 

KITTY 

{Half-scared, half-laughing. Her expression 
changes as she looks. ^ 
Why — why — you look so funny — I — {She laughs 
hysterically, but zmth dread in her voice.^ 



60 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

ISADORE 

[^Half-wild and half -intelligent.'] 
Oh, I was just foolin'. Can't you see? I just 
wanted to see if I could scare you. 

KITTY 

Why — why — ^was you? I thought — \_tJie clocJc 
ticks loudly] — I better go home now. I guess — ^I 
think — my — mother — ^wants — me — \_She begins to 
hack away.] 

ISADORE 

\_ApproacMng and staring at her.] 

Oh, no, she don't. You don't want to go yet. 

Don't be afraid. Didn't you just come from home? 

\^He tries to look sweet, and instead achieves 

weirdness. His face is slightly contorted, his 

smile ridiculous.] 

KITTY 

[Breathlessly.] 
No, I just went to church this afternoon to con- 
fession. I was just goin' home now. I thought I'd 
stop in an' see Tillie if she was here — ^but — I — 
[Pauses.] 

ISADORE 

But you're a good little girl, ain't you? You 
ain't got nothin' to confess. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 51 

KITTY 

No, no^ — but I have to go now. I know my mother 
wants me. [^She moves agam.'\ If Tillie comes, tell 
her I'll come up after awhile. \^She backs away and 
reaches the door, still starmg.'\ 

ISADORE 

{Following, his shoulder jerking. He has a 
hungry, seeking look.li 
Oh, no, don't go. Stay. Why don't you stay? 
She'll be back in a minute. I've got lots of nice 
things to show you. {He looks about the room seek- 
ing something, then takes her arm.^ 

KITTY 

{Fearfully. '\ 
No — no — I mustn't. I have to go. Really, I 
must. I gotta go now. Please, I do. My mother 
wants me. I know she does. {She begins to pull and 
whimper, reaching for the door.^ 

ISADORE 

{Seizing her and lifting her up in his arms.'\ 
No! No! You don't wanta go! You wanta 
stay, don't you? {She begins to scream. He puts 
his hand over her mouth and half smothers her 
cries.^ Stay with me! Stay witli me! 



52 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

[^He lifts and carries her, struggling, into the 
bedroom, from which for a few seconds emerge 
sounds of contest, half smothered cries, 
words of appeal or command. Silence enr 
sues, save for the ticking of the clock. After 
a time Isadore emerges, the child limp in his 
arms. One slipper has fallen off. He is hot, 
disheveled, plainly insane, and yet with a 
shrewd, canny, cautious look in his eyes. Be- 
tween his hand and the child's mouth is a 
handkerchief. He looks about as if uncertain 
what to do, comes over to the door, cautiously 
locks it, and returns to center of the room. 
He then goes to the bedroom again, comes 
out, the child still in his arms, and goes to 
the window and stares across at the vacant 
apartment, Standing so, he seems to be 
struck with an idea, returns to the bedroom, 
puts the child down, comes out again, opens 
the door, listens, then looks up the stairway. 
He then goes out and disappears. In a few 
moments he returns in the same way, enters 
the bedroom, returns with the child in his 
arms, and disappears through the door.^ 

CURTAIN 



ACT II 



ACT II 

Scene 1 

Same as Act I. When the curtam goes up, the stage 
is empty. It is now about six-thirty, and the 
sense of a hot summer evening is suggested by the 
light. A few pieces of colored cloth — green, blue, 
red — are lying about the floor between the table 
and the bedroom door, at the foot of the machine. 
On the table are Isadore's papers, undisturbed. 
A sound of steps is heard on the stair. Enter in 
this order: Mrs. Berchansky, Mrs. Greenbaum, 
TiLLiE, Masha, and Berchansky. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[Looking around and seeing the pieces of cloth, 
and beginning to picJc them up.^ 
Isadore! [Pauses.^ Isadora! \_She looks into 
the bedroom and kitchen.l^ Gone again! It's too 
bed! Veil, now maybe ve von't see him again. I 
fought he vould stay. [^Looks into the bedroom 
again. '[ Vot's diss ! Somebody's been at my rags ! 
Such upset! Such upset! Vere's de box? \^She re- 
enters the room, stooping and picking.^ 

55 



56 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

\_Walking about in a stately way.'] 
Tck ! Tck ! Tck ! — but it's hot ! Isadora's gone, 
has he? I thought maybe he wouldn't stay. I'll 
open the window in the bathroom here. Perhaps we 
can get a breeze. [^She goes into the bathroom and 
returns.] 

BERCHANSKY 

Yes, it is hot, but / tell you how to keep cool 
[gesticulating with his fkiger] — a little hot tea. 
Dat's it ! Ice cream ! Ice cream soda ! Who drinks 
dat? Poison, I tell you, poison — cornstarch. Young 
people, dey must alvays be in de kendy-store, now- 
adays, spendin' dere five-cent pieces. If dey put 
dere five cents in dere pockets an' hot tea in dere 
stomachs, believe me, it's better. 

l^He illustrates their disposition with his hands, 
puts down his book, goes into the bathroom 
and lights the gas.] 

MASHA 

Oh, papa, that's an old-fashioned idea. Every- 
body likes ice-cream soda. 

TILLIE 

[Patting her stomach.] 
Umm — m — wish I had some. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 57 

MASHA 

[To TiUie, genially. '\ 
Supper'U be ready soon. [Bends over and whis- 
pers in her ear.~\ Then if you're good, I'll give you 
five cents, and you can go down and have an ice- 
cream soda after supper. Ssh! 

[Pats her cheek and points her finger, as much 
as to say, "Don't tell the others!" She then 
goes into the kitchen and begins to bring out 
things for the table. As she starts about her 
work, Mrs. Greenbaum clears Isadore's pu'- 
pers off the table, including the paper and 
envelopes which Masha had brought him. 
These last she holds in her hands for a mo- 
ment, then places them on top of the news- 
papers on a chair. Tillie comes toward 
them^l 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

Now, Tillie, let them alone! 

MASHA 

[Returning from kitchen.'\ 
This place looks upset. Where's the oilcloth from 
the kitchen table, mamma? — Mamma! 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[From the bedroom.'] 

Yes.? 



68 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MASHA 

[^With a puzzled look on her face.'] 
Come here. [Mrs. Berchansky appears at the 
door. She has a child's slipper in her hand, at which 
she is looking in a disturbed and secretive way. Be- 
fore Masha speaks, Mrs. Berchansky vndicates it 
with her right hand. Masha sees, starts, pales 
slightly, then says in a low voice :] The oilcloth on 
the kitchen table — do you know where it is.'' 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Vere could it be.? Dat's funny! An' dis! {She 
holds out the slipper, which is concealed from the 
others by Masha's body, then slips it under her 
sha'wl.'\ It's not Tillie's. {She looks at TUlie, who 
is standing near.'] Rae has no slippers like dis! 
[They come out together, looking at each other 
oddly.] 

BERCHANSKY 

[Stepping out of the bathroom and listenmg a 

moment.] 
Vot's funny, Masha ? 

[Mrs. Berchansky and Masha exchange warnr 

i/ng glances.] 

MASHA 

Nothing . . . nothing. It's only a broken glass. 
Isadore didn't wait.f* 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 59 

[She and Mrs. Berchansky go into the kit- 
chen.^ 

BERCHANSKY 

\FoUowing them to the kitchen door.'l 
Vot iss it? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[Nervously, from the kitchen.'] 
Nothing . . . nothing. A little dish broke. 
[He returns to the table.] 

BERCHANSKY 

[Seating himself.] 
Now, I can eat. I'm hungry. It's efter seven. 
[He lights the gas over the table.] 

TILLIE 

[Pulling up a chair.] 
Come on, everybody ! [Fia^es herself at the table.] 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

[Rising from her chair where she has been exam- 
ining one of Isadore's papers.] 
Aren't you going to wait for Isadore and Rae? 

BERCHANSKY 

For Isadore? For him you could vait a long time! 
He comes vunce to-day, den he is gone again. Last 
time it vuz a month. Rae, she comes an' goes ven 



60 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

she pleases. Coney Island, Rockaway, Beach Long 
— I should know vere she is ! \^He lifts his hands, 
then subsides and strikes his chest gently. '\ But, 
Esther, it hurts me plenty. Here it hurts me. Vunce 
you're old, den dey don't listen no more. [He sighs. '\ 
Dey t'ink dey know everyt'ing. [With a rising inr 
flection.'\ I should advise ! Yes! Remember, Esther, 
my child, vit' you it vuz different. You vuz de 
first, an' ve hed time for you. But ven the ot'ers 
come an' dere vuz vork — fourteen, sixteen hours a 
day — den I had no time no more to vatch, to find 
out, vere dey vuz going, vot dey vuz doing. I heij 
plenty troubles, plenty troubles. [He shakes his 
head and reaches for the radishes. Turns again.~\ 
Dey try an' teach us. Dey say ve are old fashion' — 
vot dey call "not up to date." But, Esther, dere 
ain't no fashions for de heart. No ! [He shakes his 
head.^ Only feelings. [Puts his hand to his heart.^ 
An' sometimes it gets so full of feelings dat dere 
ain't no more room, an' I t'ink it's going to break — 
better dat it should. But.it don't! It only goes on 
hurting. Nu — vot can I say? [He shakes his head.^ 
But, Esther, you know I don't care how much I verk. 
I'd verk twenty hours, maybe twenty-two, so long as 
I see everyt'ing goes nice, an' ve hev enough to eat, 
an' my children are happy an' do veil. Some of 
dem — veil, it vuz to be — [he shake§ his head aga^nl^. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 61 



MES. GEEENBAUM 

[^Consolmgl^.'l 
Well, the girls are all right. They haven't done 
anything wrong. And the boys'll take care of them- 
selves. I wouldn't worry about any of them. 

BEECHANSKY 

Yes. All except Isadore. I don't know about him. 

He vuz here to-day, an' now he's gone again ! Vere ? 

Ach ! It's too bed ! 

[^He shakes Ms head. Masha and Mes. Bee- 
CHANSKY come forward. Mes. Beechansky 
goes to the machine drawer, opens it, and slips 
the shoe into it. They seat themselves at the 
table. Their faces are a study in wonder and 
distress. At the remark concerning Isadoee 
they exchange glances. Steps are heard on 
the stairs. A knock follows.^ 

MES. BEECHANSKY 

Come! 

[The door opens, and a rather attractive Irish 
woman of perhaps thirty-seven or eight puts 
her head in at the door. She has a thin, in- 
telligent face, silvery gray hair, a neat, clean- 
ly appearance.^ 



62 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MRS. NEAFIE 

Good evenin' ! Oh, you're just afther sittin' down 
to your supper? Mine's waitin' for John. I'm sorry 
to be interruptin' you, but you haven't seen anything 
of my Kitty, have you? She went out early this 
afternoon to go to the church to confession, and she 
hasn't come back yet. [^At the mention of Kitty's 
namie, Masha and Mrs. Berchansky exchange 
gla/nces.^ I'm that worried! I can't understand 
what's keepin' her. [Her face shows anxieti/.'] 

BERCHANSKY 

l^Pausing, his knife and fork in the air, and look- 
ing at her.'\ 
Kitty- 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[Solicitously and nervously, glancing at 
Masha.] 
No, Mrs. Neafie. Ve hev been out in de park all 
eftemoon. She vuzn't here up to de time ve left — 
vuz she? [She looks at Masha for confirmation, 
then at her guest. Mrs. Neafie turns to go.l^ Von't 
you sit down? 

BERCHANSKY 

Maybe, now 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 63 

MASHA 

[^Interrupting Tiim.~\ 
Tea, papa? [To Mrs. Neafie.] Perhaps she's 
just stopped somewhere to play. 

MRS. NEAFIE 

\Not listening to the others.'] 
No, Mrs. Berchansky. No, thank you. Pm ex- 
pectin' John home any minute now, an' he'll be afther 
wantin' his supper. I was thinkin' maybe she had 
come up here. Good night ! \^She goes out.] 

BERCHANSKY 

[To Mash A.] 
For vy you push my arm? 

MASHA 

\_Hea'mli/.] 
Did I? I didn't mean to. I just wanted to give 
you your tea. 

TIIililE 

l^Who all this while has been eating vndustri- 
ously and unobserved.] 
I want some tea, too ! 

MRS. GREENBATJM 

Hush! Don't ask. You'll get some. 



64 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MRS. BEUCHANSKY 

^Pleadingly, but in an intense way.'\ 
Esther, take some cheese. I vender vere Kitty 
could hev gone to, now? 

MBS. GREENBAUM 

{Indifferently. ] 
Oh, she'll come back. She's just out playing some- 
where. TiUie, don't reach! How many tinjes have 
I told you.P 

TILLIE 

Well, then, please can I have some cheese? 

MRS. GREENBATJM 

And how many times have I told you not to ask? 
If you want anything, whisper to me. You've had 
enough already. You'll make yourself sick. 

BERCHANSKY 

[By whom Tillie sits, gently. '\ 
Never mind, Tillie. You is a good little girl. [He 
helps her to some more cheese. To Mrs. Green- 
BAUM.] Let de child eat. She must grow. Vot, 
TiUie? > 

\_He chiichs her vmder the chin. Tillie loolcs 
up at him affectionutely and smiles. '[ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 65 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

That's the way you always spoil them, papa. You 
always did. 

BERCHANSKY 

Ach, dey're babies only vunce. Dat time comes no 
more. 

\_He looks henignly at the chUd.^ 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

But, papa, you know how it is with children. I 
have a hard time enough with her, as it is. 

MRS. berchansk:^ 
l^Wearili/.l 
Ach, Esther, children is children. 

masha 
[Leaning Iter head on the table and shaJcing it 
slightly. '\ 
It's terrible! 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

[Addressing Masha.] 
What's the matter.? 

MASHA 

[Softly.^ 
The heat. [JShe shafces her head agam.'\ 



66 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

BERCHANSKY 

Ven it's hot, it's hot. Inside, outside. Vot's de 
difference ? 

[^The clock strikes eight.^ 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

Goodness, it's eight. I'll have to go. [^She rises.'] 

George will be home soon. I promised him I'd be 

home by eight. Come, Tillie. You've had enough. 

You've had too much. You'll be sick to-morrow. 

'[She goes to the corner and secures her para- 

sol.'\ 

BERCHANSKY 

[Patting Tillie on the back and kissing her.^ 
Nu, dis little von't hurt, vill it.? [Helps Tillie 
doirni.^ Nu! 

[Kisses her. Tillie kisses her grandmother.] 

tillie 
Good-by, grandma. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[Patting her.] 
So ! Dat's a nice girl. 

MASHA 

[As Tillie approaches and puts up her mouth.] 
Good-by! [She rises, preparatory to going into 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 67 

the kitchen. Tillie runs to the door, then comes 
running back, and putting up her arms, pulls 
Masha's head down and whispers something in her 
ear. Masha nods.^ Oh, yes. 

J[She limps to the machine drawer and takes 
something out.^ 

MBS. GREENBAUM 

Tillie! Now, Masha, I won't have that! [To 
TiLLiE.] You just give that back. \_As the child 
pouts.'l No, no, no! Now, I'll get you some ice- 
cream soda myself. Masha, take that. I won't have 
her asking for pennies. \^The child gives up the 
coin. Mrs. Greene aum approaches the door.^ Come 
on, now ! \_Takes Tillie's hand.'\ Will you all come 
over to-morrow.'' George's mother is coming. 

masha 
[^Contemplating her mother in a distressed 'majf.'[ 
Yes, we'll come. 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

[Going out.'[ 
Good-by I 

TILLIB 

Bye-bye ! 
[Exit.l 



68 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

BEBCHANSKY 

[^Rising and brushing off his waistcoat. 1 
Veil, it's nice. Esther, she gets along so veil. She 
has a nice home, a nice husband. He didn't hev 
much ven dey got married, but dey verked an' saved. 
Now, Tniie she ken hev piano lessons, an' dey ken 
live in a nice place. It's good. 

[^He goes o'oer to the bookcase and begins to 
examine some half-smoked cigars he is keep- 
ing there in an old cigar box. He picks up 
one and another, exammmg them critically.^ 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

iSoftly.-] 
Unberufen ! Unberuf en I 

BERCHANSKY 

[Sniffing at one fairly long butt doubtfully.'} 

Veil, dis vill smoke me till I go to bed. Maybe my 

oder two girls dey marry good, too. Ach, I Aash 

I could play pinochle to-night ! Pinochle I can play 

alvays, even vet it's hot. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

{^HeavUyJ] 
Papa! \_She hesitates' and says no more.} 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 69 

BERCHANSKY 

Veil, vot is it? Vot is it? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Papa, you know it's funny. I don't say it's any- 
t'ing ... he vouldn't do anyt'ing now. {^She 
pauses. 1 

BERCHANSKY 

[^Coming to attention.'] 
Who? Vot? Vot are you talking about? 

MASHA 

Oh, it may be nothing, mamma. She may not 
have been up here. It may not be her shoe. \_She 
places her fingers to her lips.'\ Maybe he's just 
gone to mail his letters. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

But de box ! De oil cloth ! Who vould take dem ? 
An' my rags all over de floor ! \_She stares at 
Masha. But vy didn't I stay? {^She shakes her 
head.] Vy didn't I stay? 

BERCHANSKY 

\_In a troubled voice.'] 
Box? Oil clawt? Shoe? Vot box? Vot is it you 
talk? \_Thei/ do not reply at once.] Box? Oil 
clawt? Shoe? Vot's dat? 



70 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

You know. De box vere I keep my rags. Dat big 
one in de bedroom. It's gone. [^SJie rises and goes to 
the machme drawer, takes out the shoe and returns 
with it. J Ven I come in I found dis in dere. [^She indir- 
cates the bedroom.^ Now Kitty Neafie is not home. 
An' de oil cloth from de kitchen table is gone. [^She 
•wrings her hands.^ An' here's de rags, but vere is 
de box.^* 

BERCHANSKY 

\Gettvng up and taking the shoe and examining 
it, a strained, puzzled look on his face.^ 
Nu! \^He beats the table with his fingers.^ It's 
not Tillie's.? Nu.? 

MASHA 

No, it doesn't belong to her, nor to Rae, either. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[^Uncertainli/.^ 
An' Kitty not home ! She may hev been up here. 

MASHA 

[^Consolingli/.l 
Dh, I wouldn't be so nervous, mamma. She may 
not have been here. Why worry so ? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 71 

BERCHANSKT 

[Foldmg his hands and swaying to a/nd fro 
slightly. His face is a study in fear, pv^zle, 
wonder.'] 
Nu? You t'ink — [His face blanches.] 

MASHA 

Oh!! 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[Leading the way to the kitchen door,"] 
An' de oilcloth out here . . . it's gone! 

BERCHANSKY 

Oilclawt' ! Ach, Gott, vot could anybody vant vit' 
oilclawt'? [He pauses.] De box — it's gone, is it? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[Returning.] 
Yes. Here are de rags, but I can't find de box. 
[They look into the bedroom.] 

BERCHANSKY 

Nu — you think — [He throws up his hands. They 
return to the center of the room.] 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oi — I don't understend! I don't know. Maybe 
he did somet'ins? 



72 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

BERCHANSKY 

Yes, vot? Vot could he do vit' a box? \_Pauses.'] 
But vy vorry before ve know? It's maybe nutting. 
[^He looks distressed himself. 1 Don't vorry so much. 
l^He begins to z&alk up and down the floor.'\ 

MASHA 

[^7/ the chair on which Mrs. Greenbaum has 
laid Isadore^s paper s.l^ 
Yes. . . . And here are his envelopes. I guess he 
didn't write, after all. \_She looks at her mother.l^ 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Ach, weh-is-mer! Weh-is-mer! \^She wrings her 
hands. 1^ I vish I know vot it is ! 

BERCHANSKY 

[Pausing and staring at the floor.'\ 
Maybe's more trouble. Sometimes I don't know 
vot to t'ink. [A noise is heard on the stairs. The 
door is thrown open.^ 

[Enter Is ad ore. He stands im the entry way, 
surprised and irritated. His eyes are strained 
and restless, his hair disheveled, his face 
scratched, the marks of dust on one arm. 
One trousers leg is partially covered with 
burrs, the other has a tear. He looks irri- 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 73 

table, somewhat savage. Berchansky hides 
the shoe behind him.^ 

ISADOEE 

[^Sharply.'] 
Oh, you're back, are you? J[He crosses and enters 
the kitchen.^ 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[FoUowing and looking after him.^ 
You vant supper, Isadore? \_She stands, awe- 
stricken.^ 

ISADOEE 

{Calling back.^ 
Supper, no ! I gotta go right away again, any- 
how. {He returns, stuffing somethvng into his 
pocket. '\ 

BERCHANSKY 

[Nervously, a quality of fear and vnsufficiency 

in his voice, approaching and standing before 

him.^ 

Vot is dis hurry? Look at your face! Vere hev 

you been? Your suit — [Leans down and picks a 

burr.'\ Vot's dis? 

ISADORE 

O}\0 nothing. I've been playin' ball. {His shoul- 
der jerks.l^ 



74 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

BEK.CHANSKY 

Ball? You play ball ven it's dark? ^Touching 
his elbow.^ Look at your sleeve ! [^Points to his left 
trouser legJj^ Here it's torn. Vot iss dis? {He 
stares at Isadore's face.^ 

ISADOEB 

{Irritabli/.'] 
Nothing. Nothing, I tell you. What should it 
be? Leave me alone. I've been in a fight. {His 
shoulder jerks. 1 

BERCHANSKY 

A fight? On Shabbas! Mit who? First you're 
playin' ball, den it's a fight. Now vich is it? 

ISADORE 

Oh, don't bother ! I tell you I was in a fight ! I'm 
all right, though. I've gotta go. \_He starts.^ 

BERCHANSKY 

[Uncertainly, because of his lesser strength, hut 
placing himself in Isadore's path.'\ 
Vy you run avay? Go, vash your face! Clean 
your suit ! It's a shame ! It's a shame ! 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

{Gentli/.J 
Take off your coat, Isadore. I fix it. Maybe 
you'll eat somet'ing? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 75 

ISADORE 

l^Irritabli/.'] 
No, no, no ! Don't bother ! I've gotta go, I tell 
you. [^Starts again. His shoulder ^erT€S.~\ 

BERCHANSKY 

\With a slight shorn of anger. ^ 
No, no, no ! I don't believe dis ! You tell me 
first, vot is dis? [He produces the shoe.'\ Whose 
is dis? [IsADORE stares at it.'\ Vere did it come 
from? 

ISADORE 

{^Savagely and with a touch of wildness vn his 
manner.^ 
What, that? I don't know where it come from. 
What're you talkin' about? \_His shoulder jerJcs.'] 

BERCHANSKY 

An' de box? An' de oilclawt'? Vot iss it about 
dem? Vot did you do vit' dem? Did you take dem? 
Vot becomes of de oilclawt' here? [He motions 
toward the kitchen.^ 

ISADORE 

[^Savagely.'\ 
What box? What oilcloth? I didn't see no box, 
nor no oilcloth ! What are you people talkin' about 



76 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

— what are you lookin' at me for? What do I know? 
What are you tryin' to find out? [^His shovMer 
jerks, J 

BEECHANSKY 

Veil, it vuz on de kitchen table. Now it's gone. 
An' de box! An' dis! \_He holds up the slipper. 1^ 
Vot is it about dis? Vot I vant to know is, how did 
dis come here? Vuz Kitty Neafie up here to-day? 
Did you see her? 

ISADOEE 

[^Nervousli/.'\ 
I tell you I don't know ! She wasn't here when I 
was here. What do I know about any box or oil- 
cloth? I haven't seen them, I tell you. [^He starts 
to ffO.'] 

MRS. BEECHANSKY 

l^Nervoiisli/.'] 
De box in de bedroom, Isadore. It's gone, too. 
You didn't take it, maybe? [^She looks at him ap- 
pealinglif.~\ 

ISADOEE 

Me? No, no, no! What do I want with a box? 
I tell you I don't know anything about it ! I haven't 
seen no box nor no oilcloth. I don't know what 
you're talkin' about. [He starts agam.'\ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 77 

BERCHANSKY 

\Laying a hand on hvm.'\ 
Ach, I don't understend! I don't understend! 
Vait! I vant to know about dese t'ings. First it's 
ball, den it's a fight. Your coat torn, your face 
scratched ! Here is a shoe ! De oilclawt' is gone, an' 
de box. An' dese things Ipointing to the hurrs'\ — I 
don't know vot dey are. But I know, I feel, it's 
somet'ing else. You ken't tell me it ain't, Isadora. 
An' I shell know now, vot is it? Vot hev you done? 
Vere is Kitty Neafie? Vuz she here to-day? [H^ 
becomes very intense.^ 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[^Appealingly.'] 
Isadore, if it's somet'ing, vy don't you tell? You 
know it's better. Ve are your parents. Maybe ve 
cen help you. [She plucks at his sleeve.'\ 

ISADORE 

[^Smnging about irritably.^ 
Oh, you're all crazy! \^His shoulder jerks.'] I 
don't know what you're talkin' about ! I don't know 
anything about Kitty Neafie ! I gotta go ! 

[^Starts. As he does so, his father seizes him 
vigorously by the arm.] 



78 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

BERCHANSKY 

No ! Here you stay ! You liar ! You loafer ! 
You good-f or-nutting ! You run de streets an' get 
in jail, an' den you come here an' you von't tell me 
vot you do ! Now, you shell tell me ! I vant to 
know! I vill know! [Isadore's shoulder jerJcs.]^ 
Vot hev you done? You shell tell me now before you 
leave dis house! [^He reaches a great height of 
furi/.] 

ISADORE 

[Savagely, a little wildly. 1 
Let go ! I don't know what you're talkin' about ! 
You're all crazy. 

\He jerks himself loose. A -fierce angry light 
blazes in his eyes. He moves about the table 
trying to puU away from his father, who 
hangs on. In the struggle, his right hand, 
which is in his right pocket, is withdrawn, and 
with it a tangle of cord. His shoulder jerks.^ 

BERCHANSKY 

[^Shouting. ^ 
An' dis! Vot's dis now! Ach, mein Gott! Vot 
for is it? \^He grabs the string.^ 

ISADORE 

{^Tearing it away and yet struggling with him.'\ 
Let go ! Let go ! 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 79 

J[He throws Ms father about. The table is 
struck, the chairs upset. Berchansky is 
thrown to his knees. Isadore's shoulder 
jerJcs.'l 

BERCHANSKY 

[^StUl shouting,^ 
Isadore! You hear me! Ach, mein Gott! I'll 
know before you go from dis house. Know, I vill! 
You shell tell me ! ^His coat is torn, Ms skvU-cap 
falls off. He gets to Ms feet.'\ 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[^To one side with Mash a.] 
Don't, papa! Don't! Oh, Isadore! Don't! Ach! 

masha 
[^Limping to and fro.^ 
Oh, this is terrible! I can't stand it! [-Ap- 
proaches her father and begins to cry.'\ Let him 
alone, papa. Please let him alone ! Don't, Isadore ! 
For shame! 

BERCHANSKY 

[^Shouting to her out of the contest.'\ 
Go 'vay! Go 'vay! Dis time I know vot I do. 
Tell me, he must ! He vill tell me before he goes from 
here, [To Isadore.] Before you leave dis house, 



80 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

you vill tell me. I am your fader. Dis time you 
vill obey me. You hear me? 

ISADORE 

[^Throwing hvm off and down. His shovMer 
jerJ£s.'\ 
Let go! 

[Berchansky falls to the floor. Isadore 
dashes to the door, pulls it open and runs 
down the stairs, slamming it after him. Ber- 
CHANSKY, getting to his feet, seizes a chair, 
runs after him, and, aiming it, runs as far as 
the door, then stops and puts it down, opens 
the door and shouts.^ 

BERCHANSKY 

Isadore! [^ pause.'\ Isadore! \^The sound of 
Isadore's clattering feet is heard on the stairs. The 
hall door below is heard to slam. As it does so, 
Berchansky ceases to call, drops his hands, then his 
head, and repeats softly.'] Isadore! 

[There is a silence in which Masha goes to the 
window and looks out. The clock is heard to 
tick. Mrs. Berchansky, nonplussed and 
frightened, crosses over to her husband and 
lays a hand on his arm.] 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 81 

MBS. BERCHANSKY ^ 

Tck ! Tck ! Tck ! Dis should heppen in our old 
days! Vot comes now? 

[Berchansky strikes his hands and shakes his 
head, but says nothing. As he stands there, 
the curtai/n descends for a few moments. The 
theater remains dark.Ji 

CURTAIN 



Scene 2 

Same as Scene One. Two hours are supposed to 
elapse. As the curtain rises the clock is striking 
ten. Berchansky, Mrs. Beechansky, Masha, 
Joe, and Mr. and Mrs. Greenbaum are disclosed, 
scattered about the room and around the table. 
Joe is leaning against a side of the bathroom door, 
one foot crossed over the other. Masha, Mrs. 
Berchansky and Mrs. Greenbaum are seated at 
the table. Berchansky is standing behind Masha, 
near the table, "very pale and distressed. George 
Greenbaum is seated on the window sill He is a 
si/mple, unpretentious, American-loohvng business 
man — very neat and silent. The shoe is on the 
table. 

greenbaum 
Well, 3^ou don't really know that he's done any- 
thing, yet. What's the use getting so worked up 
about it.f^ The slipper may not belong to her, after 
all. 

berchansky 
[Argumentatively, and with a considerable 
amount of emotion.^ 
82 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 83 

Yes, but who else should it belong to? It's not 
Tillie's, an' who else vuz here? No vun! Unless 
Kitty, maybe, or some vun else. He hes done some- 
t'ing, dat much I know. An' de box an' de oilclawt', 
de scratches on his face, de string. Vy did he run 
avay? He didn't look right to me — he didn't act 
right. l^He rubs his chm.^ 

GREENBAUM 

Yes, that's all true enough, but we really don't 
know that Kitty was up here. She isn't home yet, 
but that doesn't prove that he saw her. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oi! Oi! Oi! 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

Yes, and the way he looked at Tillie this afternoon 
frightened me. When Rae went out she said he 
wasn't acting right. If that little girl came in here 
— l^She pauses.^ 

GREENBATJM 

How not acting right? ]^He shifts his position as 
though he has been talking for some ti7ne.ll What 
did she say? 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

Well, I didn't have a chance to talk to her. She 
had to go. But she said he was olF again to-day. 



84 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

and that I was to look out for him. He didn't seem 
so bad, outside of the way he looked at Tillie. 

MASHA 

Well, I don't know that I'd listen to what Rae 
says, anyhow. You know how she is. He doesn't 
like her and she doesn't like him, and she might have 
excited him. 

JOE 

Yes, but that shoe and the box and oilcloth.? 
What about them.'' It looks pretty tough to me. 

MRS. BERCHANSKT 

Ach, if ve could only keep him at home an' take 
care of him ! If only I hed stayed here ! 

MES. GREENBAUM 

Yes, if you could afford it. 

GEORGE GREENBAUM 

[^Thought fulli/.^ 
I can't see that there is any sense in getting so 
excited until we know something positively. It's 
true, things do look bad. Still, there may be noth- 
ing. You haven't heard whether she's come home 
yet, have you? 



t 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 85 

MASHA 

No. 

GREENBAUM 

Well, I wouldn't inquire, if I were you. If any- 
thing is wrong it would look bad afterwards. What 
I don't see is why you take any more chances with 
him. He's not right, really — that's plain now, isn't 
it.'' I hate to say it, but it's true. I've tried to help 
him several times, but I'm afraid to recommend hinn 
to anybody any more, and we can't use him in our 
business. He hasn't any sense for that work. He 
doesn't look right. The best thing to do would be 
to put him in a home somewhere, I think, where he'd 
be looked after, and yet where he'd have plenty to do 
and not feel shut up. He's not a bad boy, actually. 
He likes to work. He's good-hearted, too. I know 
that. [Mrs. Berchansky nods.^ But he can't help 
himself. He's too restless and excitable, and he's 
crazy about girls. If you let him run around much 
longer by himself these days, he's sure to come to 
some harm. He can't help it — the way the girls 
dress now, with their short skirts and open shirt- 
waists. It seems to have a bad effect on him. He 
may not have done anything wrcng to-day, but he 
will some time. He can't help it, and it won't be 
his fault. \^He sits down.^ 



86 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MRS. GEEENBAFM 

After that look I saw him give Tillie to-day, I'd 
be afraid to have him around. Really, I would. I 
think something had better be done. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oi ! Oi ! Oi ! Trouble, trouble, trouble ! 

JOE 

Well, why don't we send him away, then? There's 
no use waitin' any longer, is there.? 

BERCHANSKY 

An asylum ! An asylum ! Ach ! Veil, maybe it is 
best. After to-night, I know it is. 

[^He rubs his chin. Steps are heard on the 
stairs. Enter Rae, decked out in all her 
fineri/.'\ 

rae 
Hello, everybody! Wotcha doin'.'' Wotcha talkin' 
about ? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oi ! Oi ! Oi ! Trouble, trouble, trouble ! 

BERCHANSKY 

\Folding and unfolding his hands on his breast.^ 
Plenty to vorry about. Plenty! [^He shakes his 
head.^ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 87 

JOE 

It's Isadora again. 

RAK 

lEagerli^.'] 
Well, what about him? What's he been doin' now? 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

Oh, nothing that we know of. He was in here a 
while ago all scratched up, with some burrs on him, 
and his coat torn, and he wouldn't tell where he'd 
been, or what he had been doing, or where he was 
going, and they're afraid he's done something. They 
found a little girl's shoe in the bedroom, and Kitty 
Neafie hadn't come home by seven o'clock, and her 
mother was up here looking for her. Mother's big 
rag box and the oilcloth from the kitchen table are 
gone. 

BAE 

Kitty Neafie! You found a shoe? Let's see it. 
[They show it to her. She exclaims.^ An' that big 
piece of yellow oilcloth out in the kitchen — you say 
it's gone? 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

Yes, and papa thinks he came back for some twine. 
[^She gets up.^ 



88 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

JOE 

He come in an' went into the kitchen an' grabbed 
a whole handful of cord out of the cupboard, an' run 
out again. Pop tried to stop him, but Isadore threw 
him all around the place. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oi ! Oi ! Weh-is-mer ! 

BERCHANSKY 

It is somet'ing! I know! Ach, if I only knew! 
He's not right. I know now ! 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

Oh, dear, I wonder what he could have wanted with 
that.? 

RAE 

Tck! Tck! Tck! This is terrible! Kitty 
Neafie! Goodness, if he's done anything to her — 
\_she staresj. Well, I warned ja all. You knew he 
wasn't right, an' he oughtn't to be out an' around 
loose. Still you wouldn't listen. Only to-day he 
tried to stop me in here when I was goin' out — 
wanted me to kiss him — said I didn't seem like a sis- 
ter to him. I had to slap his face before he'd let me 
alone. \_She takes a defiant pose.J^ I was almost 
afraid to leave Esther, only I know he's afraid of 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 89 

her. l^She walks into the bedroom, taking off her 
hat.^ Well, I s'pose you'll agree, now, that he 
oughta be put away. 

BERCHANSKY 

[^His head down.l 
Tck! Tck! Tck! 

MRS. GREENBATJM 

[Softly.] 
After Rae left I watched him, and it was then I 
saw him look at Tillie so. It frightened me so I took 
her and went out in the park. I didn't want to say 
anything because I thought he would be here when 
we got back, and I didn't want to make mamma and 
papa feel bad again. 

RAE 

[From the bedroom.] 
Did he finish the letters he was writin'? 

MASHA 

No, the envelopes are here. 

GREENBAUM 

[Getting up and walking about.] 
Well, as I say, we don't know anything yet, posi- 
tively. He may not have done anything, even though 



90 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

a slipper was here and the child's missing. It does 
look pretty bad, I'll admit, but I can't see that 
there's anything to do about it except wait until he 
comes back, or until we hear something else, then see 
if we can keep him around here, or get hold of him. 
You'll have to be careful, though, if he does come 
back, and not say or do anything to let him know, 
otherwise he won't go. We'll have to fool him into 
it. J[He subsides.'] 

BERCHANSKY 

Rae, how long vuz you here mit Isadore.^ Ven 
did you leave.'' 

KAE 

About four. Why.? 

BERCHANSKY 

Veil, vot vuz he doing? Vot vuz it he said to you? 
Did he look queer to you? 

RAE 

He acted crazy, like he always does, I tell ya ! He 
tried to kiss me. He wouldn't let me alone till I 
gave him a good slap in the face. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Ach, Rae! Vy did you do dat? He iss your 
brother. Maybe he vanted to be nice mit you again. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 91 

RAE 

Say! Him? Cut that! He's dips, I tell ya. 
Look at what may have happened to-day. [^TJie 
others wince. '\ It wasn't because I'm his sister that 
he wanted to kiss me. He's crazy about girls, I tell 
ya. He can't let 'em alone. He can't help it. He 
can't let me alone, if ya wanta know. Don't take no 
chances with that hangin' around the house. He's 
dips, I tell ya. Put 'im away, an' then you can 
breathe easy. [^She begins to take off her shoes. ^ 
Afterwards we can move away from here, an' no- 
body'll know where we've gone. We can move up to 
the Bronx. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oi! 01! 01! 

BERCHANSKY 

Rae, you should not talk foolish. Ve vant to find 
out, don't you understand.'' 

GREENBATJM 

\^Seating himself again.l 
Was there anybody else here when you left.? I 
mean before Esther and Tillie came.^" 

RAE 

No. Joe had just gone, an' Esther came in after- 
wards, I thought once I better speak to her before 



92 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

I went. I was on the edge of comin' back after I 
got downstairs, but I didn't have time. I knew he 
wouldn't do anything to any grown-up person, 
though. He's too big a coward. He always is till 
you're alone and till it's some one he thinks he can 
handle. But if Kitty came in here — \^She shakes her 
head.^ I know him of old. He knows he can't pull 
it over me, an' so he don't try. That's why he quit. 
Believe me, I'd never trust a kid with him, though, 
anywhere. 

BERCHANSKY 

[Excitedly^ and touching his heart.'\ 
Rae! Rae! Stop! Ve know! It's bed enough! 
I ken't stend it! [He moves uneasily.^ 

KAS 

Well, when you all come to your senses an' put 
him away, I'll stop, an' not before. If you'd listened 
to me this wouldn't 'a' happened to-day — if anything 
has happened. For a cent, I'd have him put away 
myself. You'd thank me for it in the long run. 
You're just afraid of what people'U say, that's all. 
Believe me, you'd better act before sompin worse 
happens. 

GREENBATJM 

[Aimcahly/\ 
But we've agreed to do that now, Rae, 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 93 

RAE 

Well, it's time, that's all I've gotta say. 

BERCHANSKY 

[^SJidkmg his head.'] 
Yes. Yes. It's better. 

GREENBAUM 

[^Getting up."] 
Well, then, to-morrow I'll see if I can find some 
place, if you want me to. If he comes back, you'd 
better try and keep him here. Don't irritate him, 
and don't say anything. Just ask him to stay, and 
persuade him to, if you can. I'll talk to my lawyer, 
and let you know. J[He takes out his watch and 
begins to look around for his hat, as if he were ready 
to depart.^ We'd better be going, Esther. It's 
after eleven. 

[Mrs. Greene aum rises. As she does this, a 
noise is heard on the stair. It begins as a 
soft murmur, and increases in volume until it 
it more or less of an uproar. The shuffling 
of many feet is heard. As the noise begins 
and continues, the family stop all conversa^ 
tion, and listen. Joe, who is nearest the door, 
crosses and opens i^.] 



94 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

A VOICE 

Yes, this is where they live. 

ANOTHER VOICE 

Neafie! They live in here. \_A Tcnockmg is heard.'\ 

A THIRD VOICE 

Mr. Neafie ! Mr. Neafie ! 

SEVERAL VOICES 

\_In concert. 1 

It's terrible, ain't it.? 

To think it should be their little girl I 

Poor Kitty ! 

Do they know who done it? 

No. [^ silence.'] 

[Suddenly the 'piercing scream of a woman is 
heard. As all this proceeds, the facial ex- 
pression of the various members of the family 
changes. They become concerned, strained.] 

BERCHANSKY 

[In a low voice and with a frightened air, com- 
ing near the door.] 
Vot's dat.? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 95 

JOE 

{^Softly, m a troubled voice. ~\ 
It sounds as if something has happened to Kitty 
Neafie. [He half closes the door.'\ 

RAE 

[Who is standing near the bedroom door, speak- 
ing out loud.^ 
Gee! I wonder what's that, now? [Crosses to, 
Joe.] 

berchansky 
[With great i/niensity, clenching and wnclench- 
vng his hands. ~\ 
If it should be Isadore ! 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[Crossing to her husband and shahing his arm.^ 
Ssh ! [Shakes her head.'\ 

GREENBAUM 

[Stepping to the table.'] 
Listen to me. If it should be anything, no one of 
you must say anything. You hear? You haven't 
seen him. You don't know where he is. Put that 
shoe away ! Burn it ! [Mrs. Berchansky takes the 
shoe into the kitchen and returns.] He hasn't been 



96 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

here, do you see ! [^Thei/ all look at Mm wUhout a 
word.^ For goodness' sake, don't all look as if some- 
thing had happened ! That's a dead give-away. 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oi ! Oi ! Vot ken ve do ? Vot ken ve do ? {She 
begins to cry.'[ 

MASHA 

\^Sternly.'\ 
Mamma! Don't cry! You mustn't! 

[More steps are heard on the stairs, as if they 

were coming up and to the Beechansky f,at. 

At the sound of them, Joe closes the door.'\ 

BEECHANSKY 

[Walking the floor and twisting his hands.^ 
Ach, Gott! Vot comes now? [A brisk knock is 
heard. No one offers to go to the door.'\ 

GEEENBAUM 

[Commandingly, to Joe.] 
Open it! 

[Joe opens the door. Enter in a crush fout 
neighbors, tenants of the building — an elderly 
red-faced woman, greasy, unkempt, fat; a 
younger, cleaner, but m^ore vacuous and curi- 
ous woman of thirty-three or four; a young 
boy of seventeen; a small girl of eleven.^ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 97 

THE ELDERLY FAT WOMAN 

[^Pushing before the others. 1 
Oh, Mrs. Berchansky! Have you heard what's 
happened to Kitty Neafiei They've just took her 
away in the ambulance ! She's all cut up ! They 
just found her in the lot back here, right back of 
the house, an' she can't live. The policeman said so. 
Oh, it's terrible ! Poor Mrs. Neafie, she's just fainted 
an' they can't bring her to an' — [^She pauses for want 
of breath.'] 

BERCHANSKY 

[Strihing his hands.] 
Ach, Gott ! Ach, Gott ! 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oi! Oi! Oi! 

MASHA 

[Heavily.'] 
Poor little Kitty ! 

RAE 

\With great presence of mind, coming forward 
and staring at the four.] 
Gee, that's terrible ! How long ago did it happen .'' 

THE YOUNGER WOMAN 

Just now they found her. Nobody knows who 
done it. She was in a box, an' there was a piece o' 



98 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

oilcloth over her. [Berchansky strikes Ms hands 
together. ~\ A man was comin' through the lot an' 
heard a noise. He went past, an' then he went back. 
She wasn't dead, but she was almost. She couldn't 
talk no more. He hurry up an' got the police. Gee, 
it's awful ! The crowd was sompin terrible ! Mr. 
Melka, on the ground floor, was out there, an' he 
told who she was. He knowed her. They told Mrs. 
Neafie just now, an' she's almost crazy — she's 
fainted, but she's come to, an' she's gone to the 
'ospital, her an' Mr. Neafie. 

BERCHANSKY 

Don't talk no more! {He strikes his head with 
his hands, '\ 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Ach, Mrs. Neafie! {She strikes her hreast.l 

THE LITTLE GIRL 

{Her head between the elder and yownger 
women.'\ 
Yes, an' o-o-h, she looked terrible ! She was all 
marked up an' bloody. I saw her just when they 
was takin' her away. 

THE YOUNG BOY 

Gee, it's fierce! She'll never get well. If dey 
ever get d' fellow dat did dat, he'll get d' chair. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 99 

The police're all around here now. They're lookin' 
everywhere. 

BERCHANSKY 

Don't talk! Don't talk! 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Nu, dat's enough! Don't say no more, please. 
Ve must go down 

MRS. GREENBAUM 

Tck! Tck! Tck! That poor little girl! 

THE ELDER WOMAN 

Yes, it's awful! The whole neighborhood's out. 
\More noises and voices are heard below. They turn 
and listen.'\ Maybe they've found sompin else. 

[The four depart. Joe, nearest the door, half 
closes it after them.l^ 

^ JOE 

God! 

BERCHANSKY 

[Skiking mto a chair.'] 
Now, it's over. Vot could be verse.? Now, it vill 
all come out. Dis is de end ! 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Oh, if it only vuzn't him! Poor Isadore! Poor 
Kitty ! 



100 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

> GEEENBAUM 

[/w. a low, concerned, earnest voice. '\ 
Listen to me, all of you ! It's pretty bad, but it's 
best not to say anything — not yet, anyhow. We 
really don't know that he did it — not yet, anyhow. 
It looks that way, but don't talk ! Don't let oii that 
you know anything! [To Masha,] You've burned 
the shoe? \_She nods her head.Ji Don't ever say 
anything about it! 

MRS. BERCHANSKT 

\^Agonizedly.'\ 
Yes! Yes! 

GEEENBAUM 

It may not come out — not yet, anyhow. We can 
have him put away right off. If he's crazy, they 
can't do anything to him. They can't blame us, any- 
how. Some of you had better go down to see Mrs. 
Neafie when she comes back. Cover that table out 
there with something, and don't mention the box! 
As soon as you can, you'd better move away from 

here — but not too soon. You see \^As he talks, 

the curt am descends.'] 

CUETAIN 



ACT III 



ACT III 

Scene 

The grand jury room of New York County in the 
Criminal Courts Building, New York City, adjoin- 
ing the offices of the district attorney and his as- 
sistants. The right and rear walls of the stage 
contain each three and two large windows respec- 
tively, reaching nearly to the ceiling. Through 
them pours a flood of morning light, a pattern of 
which from the windows, right, marks the floor. 
The tops of other buildings in the vicinity are to 
be seen. The space between the two windows at 
the rear of the stage is broken by a large circular 
gilt clock, the hands of which stand at ten^forty- 
five. 

he left wall of the stage contains a door of good 
size which is standing open, showing an exterior 
office or ante-room of some sort, and some desks 
protected by a wire cage in which clerks are work- 
ing. In the center of the room, and facing the 
door, a semi-circular desk of great size, to the 
rear of which are twenty-two chairs of exactly the 
103 



104 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

sa/me pattern, with the exception that the chair m 
the center is larger each occupied hy a grand 
juror. Between this desk and the door, a table 
at which is sitting the grand jury clerk, his back 
to the jury. A few feet from him, and facing the 
jury, another chair, in which is sitting a short, 
stout, very phlegmatic-looking German, of about 
fifty-five, plainly under a strain and nervous. To 
the right, but between him and the jury, a chair on 
which has been laid a child's light brown linen 
dress, soiled and torn, a light green straw hat, a 
pair of tan stockings, also soiled and torn, a 
child's slipper, and a suit of light reddish-brown 
hair, soft and silky, and tied about with a string. 
Behind the seated jurors, an Assistant District 
Attorney, standing and facing the witness over 
their heads. The room is very still. A juror or 
two coughs and stirs. The woodwork is yellow 
oak; the walls a pale cream. No pictures or or- 
namentation of any kind are visible. As the cur- 
tain rises, the Assistant District Attorney is just 
about to address a remark to the witness. In this 
act a pair of light curtains, the color of the walls 
of the juryroom, close or open on the remarks of 
the various witnesses, the while the regular stage 
curtain remains up. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 105 

MILLER 

l^With the air of one mho has been talking for 
some little tvtne.^ 
Now, Mr. Daubenspeck, if you please, will you 
kindly tell the grand jury just what occurred on 
the night of July 17th last? I mean in connection 
with what you found in the lot back of 1727 First 
Avenue, this city. Tell it as simply and briefly as 
you can. 

DAUBENSPECK 

{Heamly, and arranging himself slowly. "l 
Ya, I do. Ess I say, ich bin, now, ein cabinet- 
maker by trait und als ich by Sixty-nint' Sthreet 
near Fairst Affenoo, vuss coming about zehn uhr, 
ich vuss by a liddle chob in Sixty-fift' Sthreet, und 
vuss going down troo der lot py Fairst Aifenoo back 
of mein house da, I hert a kynt of noiss or groan, 
als if some von might haf site a liddle — oder groant, 
und daraan I sthobbed und kynta looged arount me, 
so. [He illustrates.'^ Ich couldn't see nudding. Id 
vuss ganz dunkle. Darauf ich stharted to go on 
again, but yust as ich dat done ich heered vonce 
more anudder noiss, und darauf ich vonce more 
sthobbed again. Der vuss someding — ach, ich weiss 
nicht ve mann saght "veloren" [he moves his ha/nds 
to illustrate the sound'l in der sount, und darauf ich 



106 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

loogt all arount vonce more und vent back, so ve 
dreisig oder verizig fuess — [ich hab ess later ge- 
measured] — und daraan, because der vus a liddle 
light in a vintow ubstairs in von off der flats, ich saw 
a kiste — how you say? — box — oder someding, mit a 
piece off oil clawd offer it, yust as if it hat been 
coffered py some von, und from unten vuss stickin' 
aus dass kind's het und her hants und arms — so [he 
illustrates^, and she vuss lying on her site, so [he 
illii^trates^. 

MILLER 

Yes. 

[Several of the jurors place their elbows on 
their knees and their chins in their hands and 
contemplate him fixedly. '\ 

DAUBENSPECK 

Her face vuss very weiss, und der sleef off her 
tress vuss torn open at der haltz [he illustrates^, 
und her neck vuss cut a liddle right here [he indicates 
the place^. At fairst I toud she vuss todt, but I 
listened, und den I saw dat she vuss still breading. 
I took der coffer off, und den ich see dat she vuss in 
a box, yust als she hat herself darein gesezt, und ess 
hat uber gefallen. It vuss offer on von site, so [he 
illustrates^. She vuss so weiss ich haf gedacht she 
mide be todt, und I vuss so schkairt — ich vuss almosd 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 107 

afrait to pull at her, but ich did, but she couldn't 
speag no more — she vuss nearly todt. So ich hop 
am strasse — on der sthreet — py 1727 gerunt, und 
als ich ans eck da kaam dair vair sthanding sechs 
oder seben manner. Ich hop — I tolt dem dere vuss a 
liddle girl pack in der lot der gekilt, und dey stharted 
to run down dere. Daan hab ich nach einer politzei 
gerufen — ein policeman — und ich vuss say some von 
shoult on der telefone go. Ich couldn't einer find 
aber, so ich hab nach meiner frau gerufet [she vuss 
py der vintow ubstairs dere], und she vuss unten 
gekommen — down — und uns beiden haben zurick ge- 
gangen. Ven ve vuss pack gekommen, der vuss ol- 
retty dreisig oder vierzig people da und some von 
hat olretty einer policeman geholt. Dey vuss tele- 
foning noch der ambulance, und der vuss nudding 
more zu tuhen. 

MILLEE 

Yes. [^To the jury.l You understood most of 
what Mr. Daubenspeck said, didn't you, gentlemen? 
{The jurors nod their heads.'\ Anything more, Mr. 
Daubenspeck.? 

DAUBENSPECK 

[Slowly. '\ 
No. I didn't see nudding more. Der vair seferal 
mens benting offer her, und my vife tolt me after- 



108 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

wards dass she hat gesagt das einer mann hat ihr 
uber bekommen. Den ich vent mit der police to der 
station. 

MILLER 

[Addressing the jury.'] 
He says that his wife told him that Kitty Neafie 
had said to some one that a man had stabbed her. 
[The jurors nod their heads.] That's all you know, 
is it, Mr. Daubenspeck? 

DAUBENSPECK 

Ya, dass ist alles. 

MILLER 

Gentlemen, do any of you wish to question this 
witness further? We have a great many to hear. 
I'll have the clerk write out this testimony so that 
any of you can examine it at your leisure if you 
wish. The less time we take in the beginning, the 
better. You may not need all the testimony that will 
be offered [he looJcs around inquiringly]. 

THE FOREMAN 

[Tentatively.] 
Perhaps we'd better let him go for the present. 

JUROR SIXTEEN 

[A somher, heavy, taciturn-looking man.] 
Did he say who it was stabbed her^ or did she say? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 109 

MILLER 

Did she say, Mr. Daubenspeck, who killed her? 

DAUBENSPECK 

Ich hab nicht — I didn't hear. My vife she tolt me 
afterwards dass she hat gevispered "a man, a man." 
Den she dies. 

JUROR THREE 

Was she lying on her face or on her back, did he 
say, when he first came up ? 

DAUBENSPECK 

On her site, so [he illustrates']. 

JUROR NINE 

[AddresskigMiLj.^B,.'] 
Did he notice or could he tell in that light what 
the color or pattern of that oilcloth was? 

[As he speaks the inner stage curtains close, 
then immediately open. As they do so, the 
clock stands at twelve-fifteen. The sun pat- 
tern on the floor has moved. In the zmtness 
chair, in the place of Mr. Daubenspeck, 
sits the elderly fat woman who appeared in 
the doorway of the Berchansky apartment 
on the night of the murder. She is speak- 
mg.'\ 



110 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MRS. LERSCH 

An' as we went in they was all standin' up around 
the table, an' I says, "Oh, Mr. Berchantsky, did you 
Jiear the news.^^ Little Kitty Neafie's been killed!" 
And at that he throws up his hands like this, and he 
says, "My God, it's my son Isadore!" An' at that 
I didn't know wot to say. I felt sorry for 'im, an' 
I didn't say nothin'. 

MILLER 

But, Mrs. Lersch! Mrs. Lersch! One moment, 
please, one moment ! This won't do. You're not 
telling the same story you told me yesterday after- 
noon at all. I thought you told me that there were 
three others present beside yourself, and that Mr. 
Berchansky only exclaimed, "My God!" Isn't that 
what you told me.'' 

MRS. LERSCH 

[Pausing abstractedly.'] 
Did I say that? Well, maybe it was that-a-way, 
but it seems to me he did say something about his 
son Isadore. Leastways, it seems so to me. "He 
done it," or "Oh, my God, I'm sure he done it!" or 
something like that. 

[^TJie jurors stir impatiently, as though they 
had been annoyed by previous exaggerations. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 111 

The foreman looJcs as though he would inter- 
ject a question.^ 

MILLER 

But, Mrs. Lersch! Mrs. Lersch! One moment, 
please ! This won't do at all ! You forget that you 
are on the witness stand and under oath. You have 
sworn on the Bible to tell the truth, the whole truth, 
and nothing but the truth. A man's life is in jeop- 
ardy here. If you do not tell the truth, the exact 
facts only — just what you know to be so, not what 
you think somebody said or what somebody told you 
afterwards or what you read somewhere — you may 
send an innocent man to the electric chair, to death, 
do you understand.'^ An innocent man! 

THE FOREMAN 

l^Sternli/.li 
Tell only what you know, madam. [^He stares 
and whispers to a neighbor.^ 

MRS. LERSCH 

\^Wifh some show of uncertainty and distress, 

rolling her hands. ^ 

Well, of course, I didn't understand that. I 

wouldn't want to do anybody any harm, leastways 

not the Berchantskys. I ain't got a thing against 



112 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

Mr. Berchantsky. I wouldn't lay a straw in his way. 
He's a good man, so far as I know. Course, you 
gotta remember I was very much excited myself at 
the time, after hearin' the terrible news of poor little 
Kitty's death, an' I hardly knew what I was doin'. 
But you better not take my word for it alone. You 
better let me go, an' ast somebody else. I don't want 
to do nobody any harm. \_She half rises.'\ When I 
think of poor Kitty, though — \_s7ie begins to weep']. 

THE FOREMAN OF THE JURY 

One moment, please, madam, one moment! Just 
sit down, please. 

MILLER 

\Gently.'\ 
One moment, Mrs. Lersch. Keep your seat, please. 
Now, just calm yourself and try to recollect what it 
was you did hear and see. You needn't be afraid of 
these gentlemen. They are not here to prosecute 
you. Now, you have stated that you and several 
other people left the crowd that was knocking at the 
door of Mrs. Neafie on the fourth floor, and climbed 
to the fifth, where Mr. and Mrs. Berchansky lived, 
and that then you or some one knocked and that 
some one opened the door. And then what hap- 
pened .f* Remember, you're not here to say what you 
think happened, or what you imagined you saw or 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 113 

heard, or what some one told you they saw or heard, 
or what you read, or what somebody else read in the 
paper, but just what you yourself saw with your 
own eyes, and heard with your own ears. Now what 
was it that you saw or heard? 

MRS. LERSCH 

{^Suhdued, in a low voice. '\ 
Well, as I say, we all went in, an' there was Mr. 
Berchantsky an' Mrs. Berchantsky, an' Miss Rae 
Berchantsky, an' Joe, an' several other people stand- 
in' around, an' they all looked kind o' queer to me, as 
though they might be excited about something. An' 
I says to Mrs. Berchantsky, "Oh, Mrs. Berchantsky, 
have you heard the terrible news about Kitty Neafie ? 
She's been murdered — stabbed fifty times — an' there's 
a young man they think done it {the jury gives evi- 
dence of new astonishment^. At that they all gath- 
ered around, an' Mr. Berchantsky throws up his 
hands, or that's the way it seemed to me, an' says 
sompin — "Oh, my God!" or sompin like that, an' 
Mrs. Berchantsky, if I remember right — I'm not sure 
about Mrs. Berchantsky, I was that excited myself I 
begun to cry, an' then they all wanted to know who 
done it, an' how it all happened, an' between ex- 
plainin' an' other people talkin', I forget, kinda, just 
what did happen, but I know we went downstairs, an' 



114. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

Mrs. Droney, she says to me — now, I don't just re- 
member whether it was that night or the next day — 
but anyhow, she says 

MILIiER 

{Wearily, with the air of one desirous of ending 
this particular examination.'] 
Well, now, Mrs. Lersch, we're not interested in 
what Mrs. Droney or anybody else said to you at 
this or any other time. As a matter of fact, you 
didn't know then whether there had been one or fifty 
stab wounds found on the body, did you.'' 

MRS. LERSCH 

Well, now, Mrs. Droney was sayin' last Wednes- 
day 

MILLER 

[^With a show of irritation, in a loud voice.] 
You didn't know at that time whether there was 
one or seventy wounds on the body, did you.'' 

MRS. LERSCH 

[Humbly.] 
No, sir. 

MILLER 

So you couldn't have told the Berchansky family 
of those.'' 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 115 

MES. liEBSCH 

Well, Mrs. Droney 

MILLER 

[^Sonorousli^.^ 
Never mind Mrs. Droney. Could you."* 

MES. LERSCH 

No, sir. 

MILLEE 

And as for a young man having been suspected, 
you really never thought of that at that time, did 
you.? 

MES. LEESCH 

Well, Mrs. Droney r- 

MILLEE 

\_AngrUy.'\ 
Never mind Mrs. Droney. Forget her. Just stick 
to what you saw and heard in the Berchansky flat at 
the time you were in it. Did you, or did you not, 
see or hear anything which caused you to think that 
any one connected with that particular family was 
in any way connected with this crime? 

\_As he talks the inner curtains close, and im- 
mediately open again. This time they dis- 
close Mes. Beechansky seated vn the witness 
chair. She is very pale, her hands and face 



116 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

exceedmgly thin. She is dressed in a blacJe 
skirt, small bonnet, and black shawl. She 
sits with drooped head, staring at the floor. 
The hands of the clock now stand at twelve- 
forti/-five, and the sunlight has left the room. 
The gaze of the Assistant District Attorney, 
and that of all the jurors, is fixed intently on 
her.~[ 

MILLER 

Tell us, Mrs. Berchansky, why it was you made 
up your mind to move so quickly after this happened? 
[Mrs. Berchansky does not answer. '\ Why did you 
move two days after the crime? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[After a long pause, and twisting her fingers.^ 
My family vunted it. 

MILLER 

Yes. Why? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

It vuz too hot. Ve didn't like de place. \_She lifts 
her hands slightly. '\ 

MILLER 

Yes. Well, how long before this was it that you 
or your family made up your minds that it was too 
hot? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 117 

MRS. BEECHANSKY 
\_Sl0W[2/.'] 

Maybe's a month — maybe's two. 

MILLER 

Then it was some time in May or June that you 
did this? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Yes. 

MILLER 

Can't you remember which month exactly.'' 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

No. 

MILLER 

Well, now, it wasn't so very warm in May, was it."* 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[After a long pause.~\ 
It vuz vorm, yes. 

MILLER 

[^Restlessly, as though he had been examining a 
long time.~\ 
Mrs. Berchansky, how long before the night of the 
murder was it that you had last seen your son Isa- 
dore at your apartment, or anywhere — how long.'' 



118 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

\_Turmng and entwinrng her fingers. She does 
not look up.~\ 
Maybe's von month — maybe's two or three. 

MILLER 

{^SterrdyJ^ 
Look at me, Mrs. Berchansky. Look at the jury. 
Lift your head. \^Slowly the witness elevates a wan 
and haggard face — then lowers it agam.^ Are you 
telling the truth.? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Yes. 

MILLER 

Well, Mrs. Berchansky, there was a newspaper re- 
porter in that chair not more than a half hour ago 
who testified that when he called on you at the apart- 
ment of your daughter, Mrs. Greenbaum, on the up- 
per west side, ten days after you had moved from 
1727 First Avenue, you told him that you had not 
seen your son Isadore in two weeks. That would 
have been two days before the murder. Now, what 
did you mean by that.'' \^She does not answer. '\ 
Mrs. Berchansky, answer me! What did you mean 
by that.? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 119 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Maybe's von month — ^maybe's two. 

MILLER 

Listen to me, Mrs. Berchansky. Don't answer in 
a routine way, without thinking. You are now in 
the witness chair, before this grand jury, under oath. 
The newspaper man said that at that time you said 
to him that you had seen your son three days be- 
fore the murder. Now, whom are we to believe — 
you, or this reporter.'' \_He pauses and waits.^ 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

\^Without looking up.^ 
Maybe's von month — maybe's two. 

MILLER 

\_Irritahl;^.'\ 
Don't make that stereotyped reply always! Did 
some one tell you to say that.'' 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

l^After a time, folding and unfolding her hands. 1^ 

No. 

MILLER 

Mrs. Berchansky, you swore just now to tell the 
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 
Is tliis the truth you are telling now.^ 



120 THE HAND OF THE POTTElR 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

\_Without looking up.^ 
Yes. 

MILLER 

You swear to that, do you — by all that you hold 
sacred.'' 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[After a pause.l^ 

Yes. 

MILLER 

Now, Mrs. Berchansky, isn't it true that your son 
was at your home the very day and evening that the 
crime was committed — that you and your husband 
had a quarrel with him, and that he ran out of the 
house, and that you or your husband called after 
him down the stairs .-* 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[Stirring, and then subsiding after a pause, ^ 
No. 

MILLER 

You deny that he was in your house the day or 
evening of the crime.? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Yes. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 121 

MILLER 

Or a day or two before? 

MES. BERCHANSKY 

■ Yes. 

MILLER 

Or a day or two after? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

Yes. 

MILLER 

You swear on your sacred honor — by the life of 
your husband and your children, that this is true? 

MRS. BERCHANSKY 

[^Tightening her fingers for the least fraction of 
a second.^ 
Yes. 

[The inner curtains close. As they open again 
the clock stands at two-ten. The clerk is 
completing the roll call of the afternoon ses- 
sion. All hut three jurors are in their 
seats.^ 

MILLER 

[To the clerk. '\ 
Call Miss Rae Berchansky. 

[The clerk goes to the door, whispers the call 
to the doorkeeper, who in turn calls it out- 



122 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

side. In a moment or two Rae Berchansky 
appears, dressed in white linen sMrt — pearl 
buttons down the front — a white starched 
shirtwaist, black tie, black sailor hat with a 
white band, black slippers, white stockings, 
and carries a black bag in her hand. She 
seats herself in the witness chair, rises, then 
sinks back again — veri/ brisk and self- 



sufficient.'\ 
Name, please? 
Rae Berchansky. 
Address ? 



THE CLERK 



EAE 



THE CliEEK 



RAE 

2221 Portchester Avenue, Bronx. 

CLERK 

Business ? 

RAE 

Manicuress. 



MILLER 

{^As the clerk writes.'\ 
Now, Miss Berchansky, the grand jury, through 
me, would like to ask you a few questions in regard 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 123 

to the death of Kitty Neafie on July 17th last. Will 
you kindly tell me, in your own way, what, if any- 
thing, you know about this case? 

KAB 

\^BrisJcl;i/.'] 
I don't know anything! 

MILLEE 

\_ArcMt/.'] 
Not anything? 

KAE 

Nothing except what I've seen in the papers — 
mostly lies. 

MILLEE 

Now, Miss Berchansky, will you kindly tell the 
jury where you were on the afternoon and evening 
of July 17th last? 

I was at Coney Island. 

MILLEE 

When did you leave your home to go to Coney 
Island? 

UAE 

Oh, about two in the afternoon. 



124. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

And when did jou return home again? 

RAE 

About eleven or twelve' at night. 

MILLER 

Can't you remember exactly at what hour? 

RAE 

No, sir. It was between eleven and twelve, I think. 

MILLER 

Now, Miss Berchansky, this is a very trying cascj 
and we're only anxious to find the perpetrator of 
this very heinous crime — not to throw unnecessary 
suspicion on any one, your family in particular — so 
will you be kind enough to tell this jury how long 
before the day or hour of this crime, or after, was 
it that you last saw your brother Isadore? 

RAE 

ICoolli/.'] 
It's been a little over two months, now, I think, 

MILLER 

You haven't seen him in all that time? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 1^5 

KAE 

No, sir. 

MILLEE 

Nor heard from him? 

KAS 

No, sir. 

MILLER 

Has any member of your family, in so far as you 
know? 

RAE 

Not that I know of. 

MILLER 

Well, now, he usually came around the house once 
a week or so, didn't he, up to that time? 

RAE 

Up to what time? 

MILLER 

Up to the time you last saw him. Up to the night 
of the murder. 

RAE 

I just told you I didn't see him on the night of 
the murder, or the day, either. 



126 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

Yes. ... I remember now. Up to the time you 
last saw him, I mean — two months ago. 

Oh, he came home whenever he felt like it — once in 
two or three weeks, I should say. 

MILLER 

And then suddenly he stopped coming.'* 

BAE 

Oh, I wouldn't call it sudden. We never knew 
when he was comin', or when he was goin' again. 

MILLEE 

Quite so! Quite so! Now, Miss Berchansky, it 
has been suggested here by one witness and another 
that your brother was not exactly right in his mind, 
that he had an aberration or delusion — an abnormal 
interest in little girls. Is that true.? 

RAE 

He's always been all right, so far as I know. 

MILLER 

You're positive as to that.? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 127 

Yes, sir. 

MILLER 

Nothing wrong with him whatsoever in so far as 
you know? 

SAE 

So far as I know, no. 

MILLEK 

In so far as you can remember, you have never 
seen the least little thing wrong with him mentally? 

KAE 

No, sir. Not that I recall. 

MILLER 

Well, then, how do you explain that on March 15, 
1914, he was sentenced to two years in a State peni- 
tentiary of this State for attempted — for assaulting 
— [^he pauses^ — a little girl? You knew of that, 
didn't you? 

RAE 



[Eyeing him fixedly. '\ 

Yes, sir. 



128 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

Well, would you consider that the deed of an abso- 
lutely normal person, assuming, of course, that the 
jury did not err in its judgment? 

RAE 

Well, he never admitted that he did it, did he? A 
jury might be wrong once in a while, mightn't it? 

MILLER 

[With the shadow of a condescending smile, and 

rubbing his chin.^ 

Yes, a jury might be wrong once in a while. But, 

tell us. Miss Berchansky, your brother did suffer 

from a nervous affliction of the left arm, didn't he^ — 

a jerking like this [he illustrates^? 

RAE 

[With some hesitation and show of anger. '\ 

Yes, sir. 

MILLER 

Ever since he was born — is that not true? 

RAE 

[Snappishly.l 

Yes! 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 1^9 

MILLER 

Still you are convinced that there was absolutely 
nothing wrong with him mentally in any way? 

E.AE 

Yes, I am! 

MILLER ^ 

And also you are absolutely sure that he wasn't 
at home the afternoon or evening or night of the 
crime ? 

RAE 

Not that I know of. 

MILLER 

Nor at any time within forty-eight hours before 
or after the news of Kitty Neafie's death? 

RAE 

Not that I know of. 

MILLER 

Is this the absolute truth? Remember, you are 
under oath here. 

RAE 

Yes, sir. 



180 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

Do you know for certain that he was not there? 

»AE 

No one told me that he was. No, sir. 

MILIiEE 

But you're not positive that he was not there.? 

EAE 

Well, if he had been, it seems to me I would have 
heard about it. 

MILLER 

But you're not positive? 

RAE 

No, sir. 

MILLER 

Miss Berchansky, do you know a Mrs. Margaret 
Lindstrora ? 

RAE 

Yes, sir. 

MILLER 

Where does she live? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 131 

K.AE 

I don't know where she live^ now, but I know 
where she did live. 

MILLER 

Where was that? 

On the floor below us at 1727 First Avenue. 

MILLER 

You know her personally? 

RAE 

I've seen her. 

MILLER 

You don't know her to talk to? 

RAE 

Oh, I've said ^'Good morning," or nodded to her 
in the hall. 

MILLER 

Miss Berchansky, if there was a loud noise in the 
Lindstrom apartment, an angry argument of some 
kind, do you suppose you could hear it in your 
apartment upstairs? 

RAE 

I don't know whether I could or not. I never 
heard a loud argument down there. 



132 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

So you couldn't say, supposing there was a loud 
argument or quarrel of some kind in your apartment, 
whether the Lindstroms or any other family imme- 
diately around you could hear it or not? 

RAE 

No ; I don't think they could. 

MILLER 

You mean they couldn't hear such a noise? 

RAE 

Yes. 

MILLER • 

Why not? 

RAE 

Because of the noise in the street up there. 

MILLER 

It's pretty bad, is it? 

RAE 

It was. It was sompin fierce ! 

MILLER 

Now, Miss Berchansky, isn't it a fact that your 
brother Isadore was home the very day of the death 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 133 

of Kitty Neafie, and that your father and mother 
had a quarrel with him, and that he ran downstairs 
about eight-thirty of the night of the crime, and that 
your father shouted his name after him? Isn't that 
true? 

RAE 

I don't know anything about it. I was at Coney 
Island. 

MILLER 

Well, you would have heard of it if he had been 
there, wouldn't you? 

RAE 

[Calmly. '\ 
Yes, I think so. 

MILLER 

But you never heard anything about it? 

RAE 

No, I didn't. 

MILLER 

{Suavely. "l 
Well, now. Miss Berchansky, will you explain to 
this jury why it was that on the evening of July 
21st last, or thereabouts, about five days after this 
crime had been committed, and about two days after 
your family had moved from 1727 First Avenue, that 



134. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

you returned to the house of your friend, Miss 
Bertha Solomon, at 1711 First Avenue, and secured 
a picture of yourself, and one of your brother Joe 
which contained a portrait of your brother Isadore? 

BAB 

l^With considerable surprise and Jiesitation.'\ 
Well, I wanted them, that's why. [^She stirs u/n- 
easily. '\ 

MILLER 

Yes. . . . Why.? 

BAE 

Oh, I didn't want any old cheap pictures of mine 
floatin' around back there in that neighborhood, 
that's all. 

MILLER 

Yes — ^but why not in that neighborhood.'' Wasn't 
it good enough for you.** 

RAE 

{Hesitatingly . ] 
Well, it's a cheap neighborhood, that's all. I never 
liked it, and so long as we were goin' away, I thought 
I'd not leave anything of mine by which people could 
follow us up. 

MILLER 

That was the only reason, was it.'* 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 135 

Yes. 

MILLER 

You hadn't committed any crime, had you? 
No, of course not. 

MILLEE 

Nor any member of your family, let us say? 

RAE 

I said I didn't know anything about that. 

MILLER 

[Sweetly. '\ 
To be sure! To be sure! You just didn't think 
the neighborhood was good enough for you? Was 
that it? 

RAB 

Well, something like that. 

MILLER 

Miss Berchansky, do you know a girl by the name 
of Peterson — ^Zella Peters oft? 

RAE 

Yes, sir. 



136 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

Where does she work? 

RAE 

At the same place I do. 

MILLER 

Where is that ? 

RAE 

At the Marie Manicure Parlors, in Sixth Avenue. 

MILLER 

She is a manicure, is she not.f* 

RAE 

Yes, sir. 

MILLER 

She's a rather good friend of yours, isn't she ? 

RAE 

Well, we've been friends, yes. 

MILLER 

Isn't she, any longer? 

RAE 

Well, I suppose so. I haven't seen her recently. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 137 

MILLER 

Do you remember asking her, on the morning of 
the 22d of July last, what she thought of the Neafie 
case? 

RAE 

\^With some hesitatioii.'\ 
No, sir. 

MILLER 

You don't recall asking her if she thought in case 
the murderer of Kitty Neafie were found, and he had 
brothers and sisters, and a father and mother, 
whether his whole family, in her judgment, would be 
disgraced on account of it? 

RAE 

I saw she said I did, in the papers, but I didn't. 
No, sir. 

MILLER 

You didn't? 

RAE 

No, I didn't! 

MILLER 

Did you ask her anything at all about the case.^ 
What she thought of it, or anything like that.? 



138 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 
No, sir. 

MILLER 

Not a word? Never even referred to it? 
No, sir. 

MILLER 

Well, it was a very startling case to you, wasn't 
it? 

RAE 

J^Hesitatijigli/.'] 

Yes. 

MILLER 

It must have shocked you a great deal at the time, 
being in your neighborhood — next door to you? 

BAE 

It certainly did. 

MILLER 

And it was on your mind a great deal at the time, 
wasn't it? 

RAE 

Well, not any more than on anybody else's, I 
guess, but it was, yes. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 139 

MIIiLEIl 

Yet you didn't even mention it to Miss Peterson? 

RAE 

Not that I recall, no. 

MILLER 

Her manicure table is right next to yours, isn't it ? 

EAE 

Yes. 

MILLER 

And you used to walk home with her occasionally 
across Forty-second Street? 

RAE 

Yes. 

MILLER 

Frequently, since July 17th, haven't you? 

RAE 

I don't remember exactly whether I did or not. 

MILLER 

Oh, come now. You can remember that, I'm sure. 



140 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

RAE 

[Stiffly.] 
I say I don't remember exactly whether I did or 
not. 

MILLER 

Yet you never mentioned this case to her— not 
once ? 

RAE 

Well, I may have. I don't remember. Not that 
I recall. 

MILLER 

And yet it was in all the papers at the time.'' 

RAE 

Yes. 

MILLER 

And it occurred right next door to your home.? 

RAE 

Yes. 

MILLER 

And it was in your mind — some? 

RAE 

Yes, 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 141 

MILLER 

But yet you can't remember that you ever men- 
tioned it to your friend, the girl you used to walk 
home with — whose table was right next to yours in 
the manicure parlor? 

KAB 

No, sir. 

MILLER 

\_With considerable emphasis.^ 
Not even if I tell you that your friend Miss Peter- 
son was in here not more than an hour ago, and, 
sitting in that chair, testified under oath that you 
did ask her, and that you looked worried? Now, is 
that true, or isn't it? 

RAE 

It's not true. 

MILLER 

She lied, did she? 

RAE 

If she said that, she did. Yes, sir. 

MILLER 

Miss Berchansky, you say you have lived at home 
with your family right along, all your life? 



142 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

Yes, sir. 

MILLEE 

Well, now, tell the grand jury why it was that 
your family decided to move all of a sudden, on July 
19th last. 

EAE 

We didn't decide to move all of a sudden. We'd 
been talkin' of it for months. 

MILLER 

Why? 

RAE 

Well, it was too hot up there under the roof, and 
too high up. 

MILLER 

You wanted a cooler apartment, did you, and one 
lower down.'' 

RAE 

The family did, yes, sir, and so did I. 

MILLER 

Well, can you tell the grand jury why it was that 
your father and mother, or whoever it was decided 
on this, chose to move in the middle rather than at 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 143 

the end of the month? People generally choose to 
move at the end of the month, don't they? 

RAE 

Oh, I don't know. We didn't. 

MILLER 

lGentl^/.'\ 
Well, I know, but people generally do, don't they? 

RAE 

Well, I don't know about other people. I only 
know about us. We moved in the middle of the 
month, the time before that. 

MILLER 

When was that? 

RAE 

February 19, 1916. 

MILLER 

Five months before this crime was committed? 

RAE 

Yes. 



144 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

And you're sure this short stay of only five months 
had nothing to do with anything your brother Isa- 
dora did at this time? 

KAE 

No, — I mean yes. 

MILLER 

Incoming around in front, between the witness 
and the jury.^ 
If the jury pleases, I would like to excuse Miss 
Berchansky for the moment. We can recall her in 
a little while, if we choose. I have another witness 
I would like to present at this time. I believe it will 
throw a little extra light on this case, and may save 
your time and mine. [^The juri/men nod their 
heads. To Rae.] You are excused for the present, 
Miss Berchansky. Please don't leave the building. 
I may want you again. [Rae goes out. To the 
clerk.'\ Call Rufus Bush. 

THE CLERK 

{Going to the door and speaking to the at- 
tendant. '\ 
Rufus Bush! 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 145 

THE ATTENDANT 

\_Outside.^ 
Rufus Bush! Rufus Bush! 

\_The door opens, and a lank, slithery, hadly- 
washed man of about forty-three, in ohmowsly 
his best Swnday store clothes, enters. He has 
large red hands, large feet, a leathery, 
weather-tan/ned face, and a long strong nose 
and jaw. He walks briskly forward and 
starts to take the chair indicated, but is inter- 
rupted by the clerk, who holds out a Bible 
to him.]^ 

THE FOREMAN OF THE JURY 

Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole 
truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? 

BUSH 

I do. 

\_He sits down, sees the little dress, hat and shoe 
on the chair, and stares. 1 

MILLEK 

{^From his position behind the foreman once 
more.li 
Now, Mr. Bush, you moved the furniture and be- 
longings of one Aaron Berchansky from his apart- 



/ 



146 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

ment or flat at 1727 First Avenue some time during 
the latter part of July, didn't you? 

EUFUS BUSH 

Yes, sir. 

MILLEE 

Just when was that? Do you recall? 

BTJSH 

[^With a great show of import ance.l 
It was the mornin' of July 19th, 1916. 

MILLER 

Well, now, Mr. Bush, where did you take that 
furniture? 

BUSH 

To the Central Union Storage house at Avenue 
A and East Twenty-third Street, New York City. 

MILLER 

Now, Mr. Bush, please tell the grand jury just as 
briefly as you can what were the circumstances under 
which you came to move this furniture — who came 
to see you about it, what they said, what you did, 
what you saw, how whoever you saw acted, and so 
on. Be as brief and direct as you can, now, please. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 147 

BUSH 

[^Straightening hiinself in his chair, smoothing 
his hair, and wetting his lips.'\ 
Well, as I was sayin' to you yesterday, Mr. 
Miller, I was standin' at the corner of First Avenue 
and Sixty-seventh Street — ^I keep my wagon standin' 
there when I ain't got nothin' else to do — when who 
should come up to me but this here, now. Mis' Ber- 
chantsky. She's a little woman, kinda thin-like, with 
one of them black wigs the Jewish women wears, an' 
a white band or sompin around her head kinda tied 
over her ears like [several members of the jury stir 
impatiently/], an' she says to me — I can't give you 
her exack langwidge — but she says to me, "Could 
you come right over with me now to 1727 First 
Avenue an' git a load o' furniture out o' there for 
me, right away quick?" an' I says, "Sure, I could. 
Where is it you want it moved to, madam?" an' she 
says, *'I don't want it moved to no house — ^just to a 
storage warehouse, only, will you come right awayj 
if you're comin', because I gotta git out o' there 
before tJiree o'clock to-day," she says. An' I says 
to myself, "That's funny! She must be tryin' to 
make a get-a-way from 'er husband or the landlord, 
or sompin like that," an' bein' she was kinda nervous 
an' a-fidgitin' with 'er hands this-a-way [he iUus" 



148 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

trates'l, I felt sorry for 'er, so I jumps on my wagon 
an' drives right over there. I was thinkin' that may- 
be, since it was a hurry-up case, I might git a good 
tip extra, but I didn't. \_The jury laughs.'^ 

MILLER 

Yes — go on. 

BUSH 

Well, when I seen the place, I wuz a little su'prised 
again, because most people when they send for a mov- 
in' man only have part of their stuff ready to be took 
out, an' the rest we gotta git together ourselves, but 
she had everything done up as neat as a pin — you 
oughta seen it — an' there was an old man with one 
o' them there little kike caps on 'is head, an' he 
wuz a-bustlin' around an' a-tyin' up things, an' say- 
in' "Ga swind! Ga swind!" — or sompin like that. 
There was a girl there, too, a cripple-like, hobblin' 
around on a cane an' helpin' in one way an' another. 



MILLER 



Yes? 



BUSH 

Well, the old lady kep' sayin' "Hurry, hurry, 
please !" so much that I was sure there must be 
sompin up. I got the furniture out as quick as I 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 149 

could, an' got it down there to Twenty-third Street 
an' Avenue A, an' there she was, a-waitin' for me 
on the corner, an' she paid me, an' I give 'er the 
receipt, an' that's all I know. 

MILLER 

And you didn't get any tip? 

BUSH 

No, sir. 

MILLER 

Well, gentlemen, unless you can think of some- 
thing more to ask this witness, I should like to ex- 
cuse him also, and call some one else that we have 
waiting. We can recall him at any time, you know. 
\_A silence follows this.'\ We have quite a number 
of witnesses still, and it may be that we shall not 
need all their testimony '[the jury nod their heads in 
acquiescence.'^ You're excused, Mr. Bush. Please 
don't leave the building at present. 

BUSH 

No, sir. [Goes out.'\ 

MILLER 

\To the clerJcl 
Call Mr. Berchansky. 

[The cleric goes to the door.^ 



150 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

THE DOORMAN 

[^Outside.'] 
Aaroti Berchansky! Aaron Berchansky! 

[Enter Aaron Berchansky. He is very pale 
and nervous and careworn^ and is dressed in 
a plain, threadbare black suit, the sleeves and 
trouper legs of which are too long and morn 
at elbows and knees, a black ready-made bow 
tie, black derby hat, rather loose shoes. As 
he enters he observes the chair with the chUd^s 
clothes on it, stops, puts his hands before his 
eyes, falters, then walks lamely on to the wit- 
ness chair. His manner is that of one who 
is enduring intense suffering and strain. The 
clerk rises and holds out the Bible. 

THE FOREMAN OF THE JURY 

[Rising.^ 
Do you solemnly affirm that you will tell the truth, 
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help 
you God? 

[Berchansky nods, looks at the chair, then 
looks away again.~\ 

THE CLERK 

Name, please? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 151 

BEBCHANSKY 

Aaron Berchansky. 

CLERK 

Address ? 

BERCHANSKY 

2221 Portchester Avenue. 

CLERK 

Business ? 

BERCHANSKY 

[^With some hesitation.^ 
Thread and needles. 

MILLER 

You have a store where you sell thread and nee- 
dles, have you, Mr. Berchansky .f* 

BERCHANSKY 

No. \^He looks at the chair again.^ 

MILLER 

Well, what kind of a business is it then, Mr. Ber- 
chansky.f* Will you kindly explain? 



152 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

BERCHANSKY 

]_Veri/ softly. 1 
I sell to my customers. I carry my goods in a 
bag. 

MILLER 

Yes. Who are your customers, Mr. Berchansky? 

BERCHANSKY 

Some shops, some that make shirts, cloaks, pants. 
{He glances at the chair. ^ I hev customers. 

MILLER 

{Overawed hy Ms sad presence and speaJcing in 
a soothing voice. ^ 
Mr. Berchansky, we are engaged in the very un- 
pleasant task of unraveling, or attempting to 
do so, the details of a terrible crime, with some 
of the details of which you are already fa- 
miliar. I shall have to ask you some very per- 
sonal questions, Mr. Berchansky, some very try- 
ing ones, I am sorry to say, but it will not be with 
any intention of injuring your feelings. I hope you 
will understand this, that it is a duty on my — on our 
— part — on the part of the law and the state which 
makes the law — not mere inquisitiveness. {As he 
speaks, Berchansky continues to stare at the chair.^ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 153 

Now, Mr. Berchansky, will you kindly tell the jury 
how many children you have? 

BERCHANSKY 

Two boys an' three girls, living. The rest are 
dead. \_He picks at his coat lapel.^ 

MILIiER 

And how old is your oldest boy — ^Isadore is his 
name, is it not? 

BERCHANSKY 

[^Starting, and with an effort.l 
Yes. Twenty-one. 

MILLER 

And the youngest? 

BERCHANSKY 

Seventeen. 

MILLER 

Were all your children born in this country? 

BERCHANSKY 

All but my oldest. She is dead now. 

[^He clenches and unclenches his finger s.^ 



154 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

And where were you born? 

BERCHANSKY 

In Odessa. 

MILLER 

Russia? 

BERCHANSKY 

Yes. 

MILLER 

And your wifei^ 

BERCHANSKY 

The same place. 

\_As he talks, his glance constantli/ strays to 
the chair. He folds and tmfolds his hands. ^ 

MILLER 

\_Coming out from behind the foreman, picMng 
up Kitty Neafie's dress, hair and stockings, 
and placing himiself squarely in front of the 
witness. He half holds the articles before 
him, as if exhibiting them. As he does so, 
Berchansky shrinks back slightly.'] 
Mr. Berchansky, you knew little Kitty Neafie, 
didn't you? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 155 

BERCHANSKY 

\^His voice rising to a thin, half-vibrant, half- 
smothered cry.'\ 

Yes. 

MILXER 

She came to your house fairly often, did she not? 

BERCHANSKY 

[In the same high, suppressed Jceif.^ 
Vunce in a vile. Yes. [He picks at his coat.'\ 

MILLER 

Now, Mr. Berchansky, this grand jury is greatly 
concerned to know who, if any one, connected with 
your family knows anything about the murder of 
this little girl, whose hair and torn clothes you see 
here. It has been alleged by one person and another 
• — newspaper reporters, the police and detectives, 
your neighbors — that your oldest boy is of such a 
disposition and character as to warrant the fear and 
the suspicion that he may have had something to 
do with it. He is not exactly of sound mind, is he? 

BERCHANSKY 

[Staring before him, as if meditati/ng some- 
thing.^ 

Nu . . . yes. He is all right. 



156 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MILLER 

He is absolutely of sound mind — you are sure of 
that? 

BERCHANSKY 

Yes. 

MILLER 

But he did serve two years in a penitentiary, did 
he not, for an assault on a little girl? 

BERCHANSKY 

{Half -rising, then sinking back again.^ 
Yes. 

MILLER 

{Somewhat sympathetically.'^ 
And it is equally true, is it not, that he is, or was, 
still interested in little girls up to a very little while 
ago — in some of them, anyhow? Is not that true? 

BERCHANSKY 

{Stirring, with an effort to speak, hut unable to 
do so.] 
Nu. {He shakes his head negatively.^ 

MILLER 

Mr. Berchansky, I do not want to make this exam- 
ination too difficult for you. We all realize how try- 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 157 

ing your position must be. We know you are a 
father. We know that you are fond of your boy 
and would like to protect him, but the law is the 
law, Mr. Berchansky, and the law compels us to seek 
out the slayer of this harmless little girl, whosoever 
he may be, and bring him before the bar of justice 
in order that he may be dealt with according to the 
law. It is only right, it is our duty to ourselves, to 
our fellow-men, to humanity, to the stricken parents 
of this poor little dead girl whose clothes you see 
here — \^He moves the dress from one arm to the 
other.'] Now, I shall have to ask you to tell me, on 
your sacred honor: Do you, or do you not, know 
whether your oldest boy Isadore had anything to do 
with the taking of this little girl's life? 

\_He pauses, looking earnestly at the mtness.] 

BERCHANSKY 

[Starinff at the dress, then suddenly rising. As 
he does so, he sways to and fro as if ill, moves 
his hands to his face, then beats them to- 
gether.'] 
Nu! Nu! Take dem avay! Take dem avay! I 
kent stend it! I kent stend it! It is too much! I 
hev lied ! My vife, she hes lied ! My daughter Rae, 
she hes lied! My son Joseph, he hes lied! Ve all 
hev lied! It is true. My son did it. He killed her I 



158 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

He is not right ! Since he vuz so small [he indicates 
with a gesture^, he vuz not right. I know it all de 
time! It vuz killing me! Here it hurts me, here, 
here! [He strikes his heart. ^ I hev vatched, I hev 
prayed. Ach, Gott I Since two veeks now already, 
I know. But he is my boy ! I could not speak. 
\He choTcesJl 

MILIiEB 

Mr. Berchansky 

BERCHANSKY 

Vait ! Vait I You shell hear me ! Now I shell tell 
all ! All ! I told him vot to do ! He should kill him- 
self, I told him! He wrote vun day I should meet 
him in Grend Street. I go to Grend Street. He vuz 
dere on de street. Even den he vuz not right, but he 
knew. He told me how it vuz — she come in vile ve 
vuz in de park, he choked an' smodered her, he car^- 
ried her up de stairs an' over de roof to de next 
house. I told him I could not forgive him, his mud- 
der an' sisters an' brudder could not forgive him — 
de best t'ing vuz for him to jump in de river an' 
drown himself. Den he lef me, an' I hevn't seen him 
since. [He pauses, shahing.'\ He is gone now. May- 
be he is dead. So, it is better, I pray he is, [He 
sohs.l^ I hev vatched, I hev verked, I hev tried to be 
a good fader — no vun knows how hard I hev tried. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 159 

Ach ! Ve hev verked, all of us, ve hev saved. De ot'- 
ers are all good. Vy he should be so, I don't know. 
Since he vuz twelve he hes not been right, but he hes 
not alvays been bed. He hes been a good boy, too. 
He hes a good heart. He hes verked. He vuz not 
quite right here. \^He points to his forehead.^ May- 
be it vuz not all his fault. \^He breaks down com- 
pletely/ and sobs. His voice sinks to a low mur- 
mur. '\ Maybe I hev not done all dat I should. It is 
so hard. [^He ceases talking and sobs between his 
hands. Some of the jury take out their handker- 
chiefs, others lower their heads.J Dat dis should 
heppen to me, now dat I am old. \^He shakes his 
head in silence.^ 

MILLER 

Calm yourself, Mr. Berchansky. Calm yourself. 
This jury understands. It sympathizes with you 
completely. Most of the gentlemen here have chil- 
dren of their own. [^He lays a hand on Berchan- 
sky's arm.'] Sit down. You can tell us the rest of 
this when you are calmer. 

\He forces Berchansky back into his seat.'\ 

BERCHANSKY 

\Weeping, and yet speaking through his 
fingers.^ 
No. He could not help it ! He is not right. He is 



160 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

not a bed boy. He hes a good heart. If I bed been 
a better fader maybe dis vould not heppen. Maybe 
ve did not understand him. \_He weeps in silence.^ 

MILLER 

[After a pause, to the jury.'\ 
Gentlemen, I am sure that you will agree with me 
that the rest of Mr. Berchansky's testimony can be 
taken later. He is too much overcome to continue. 
There is no need, I think, for our examining any 
further into this case. 

{^As Miller speaks, the outer curtain is slowly 
descending. The foreman nods his head.^ 

CURTAIN 



ACT IV 



ACT IV 

Scene 1 

A stufy, "mretchedly furnisJied hall bedroom on the 
top fioor of a fi'Be-stori/ tenement, the very ap- 
pearance and atmosphere of which suggests heat, 
odors, poverty. Time, about four-thirty of a late 
August afternoon. A door, left, gives onto a stair 
landing, the squeahy boards of which can be heard. 
A small window, bach center, shows chimneys, 
roofs, copings — a red, dry, colorless prospect. 
The windows are broken, patched and dirty. The 
wall-paper is a faded yellowish-gray, showing 
patches of paper of another color underneath. 
The bedstead of white iron enamel is slims y, has 
peeled, and is creaky. It is unmade and tousled, 
•with soiled sheets, a dirty pillow-case, and a soiled 
and torn bedspread. A more or less dilapidated 
chair stands at the foot of it. On the floor, a scrap 
of ragged carpet. Against the right wall, center, 
a cheap bureau or chest of drawers, above which 
hangs a small oblong mirror, the upper corners 
of which are curved, and the glass of which is 
cracked. A soiled and torn cover of some kind 
163 



164. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

graces this bureau. From the ceiling in the center 
of the room descends a one-burner gas pipe. On 
the wall, over the bed, an old f^y-speched poster of 
a girl in red advertises a face cream. 
When the curtain rises the stage is empty. Enter 
IsADORE. He closes the door quickly, stands with 
his hand on the Jcnob, one ear to the crack above. 
Several copies of different evening papers are in 
his hands. He is haggard, shabby, a full week's 
growth of beard on his face. His suit is worn and 
soiled, his shoes dusty, and his hair, which is par- 
tially concealed by a broken straw hat, is tousled 
and frowzy. He looks pale, hungry, half-wUd. As 
he stands there his left shoulder jerks. 

ISADORE 

[Looking straight before him with a stiff, ex- 
pectant stare.Ji 
I thought he was followin' me. [Pauses and lis- 
tens a while longer, tries the key to be sure it is 
turned, listens once more, then locks it again. His 
shoulder jerks.^ They ain't got me yet! It's the 
red ones, that's it. [He listens once more, then goes 
over to the window and umfolds one of the papers^ 
which reveals his picture nearly quarter-page size. 
Type five inches high, and plainly visible to the audi- 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 165 

ence, reads: "FIND IS ADORE BERCHANSK^I" 

He stares at it, then speaJcs in a lew voice.l They're 
after me, all right, for fair. I ought to 'a' gone 
away in the first place. \_He strikes at something.^ 
G'wan away ! Well, I don't look like that now. \^He 
holds up the paper and examines his picture with 
care, then drops it and opens a second and a third, 
each one revealing a large picture and blazing with 
type. As he does so his shoulder jerk's. He studies 
the headlines. After each one he exclaims: "Gee!" 
then drops it. Wearily.^ I guess it ain't no use. 
They'll sure get me. It's the red ones. That's it. 
That's the trouble. They won't let me alone. [H^ 
strikes at something.'] G'wan! Tliis shoulder aii' 
arm'll give me away, if nothin' else does. [His shoul- 
der jerks.'] It's the red ones, that's the trouble. If 
they'd let me alone I'd be all right, but I can't 
work. They won't let me. \_Stares and strikes 
at something.] G'wan! It's that two thou- 
sand dollar reward makes everybody so anxious. 
l^His shoulder jerks.] But I'm sick now, an' dirty, 
an' they don't know me. [Pauses and reflects.] 
Poor mom ! How she must 'a' suffered ! An' pop ! 
[His shoulder jerks.] He couldn't stand it, he said. 
Well, I don't blame him. I can't, either, much 
longer. G'wan! [Strikes at something.] I'm 
crazy, all right, an' I'm afraid to die. [Pauses.] 



166 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

Sneakin' around this way! J[He wipes his eyes on 
Ms sleeve. His shoulder jerks.~\ If I had the nerve, 
I'd kill myself. I oughta. Pop said I should. I've 
been tryin' to do it for three days, now. G'wan! 
[^Strikes at something. '\ I ain't right, I tell you! 
An' I never was ! \^His shoulder jerks. ^ It's the 
red ones, that's it. They won't let me alone. These 
spells keep comin' quicker an' quicker. [^His shouh 
der jerks and his face contorts slightly. He goes 
before the mirror, stares at himself, then darkens 
savagely. A weird expression passes over his face. 
He strikes at something. ~\ G'wan! [He takes off 
his hat and coat and hangs them on a nail, then goes 
over to the window, picks up a paper and looks at 
it.'\ Gee, what liars newspapers are! G'wan! 
[Strikes at something. '\ Here it says I tried to lure 
little girls to my room four years ago, an' I never 
even thought of it then. [Strikes at something.'\ I 
didn't have the nerve, an' I wasn't as crazy then as 
I am now. [Strikes at something.'] An' this ar- 
restin' men all over the country for me — they make 
me sick. [He stirs irritably. His shoulder jerks."] 
G'wan! [Strikes at something.] Nineteen they've 
arrested so far, an' they ain't got me yet. [He 
smiles and examines a small item closely.] If they 
don't get me pretty soon they'll hang some other 
fellow for me. That's the way they do! These fly 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 167 

cops ! [His Up curls, his shoulder jerks. He strikes 
at something. He tears off a small corner of a 
newspaper and writes on it, then puts it on the wall 
above his bed. Talks as he does it.'\ GVan! 
[Strikes at something.]^ An' that parole officer! 
[Indignantly. '\ What a liar! He says I broke my 
parole. I never did! GVan! [Strikes at some- 
thing. '\ He said not to come no more unless he sent 
for me — the damned faker. [He pauses again, looks 
out the window, stares at some imaginary thing in 
the corner, goes over to the door and listens, then 
comes back to the bureau and looks at himself. His 
shoulder jerks. As he does so, his compression 
changes, he loses control of his normal self and 
makes qu£er faces at his likeness in the mirror. Sud- 
denly he crumples up the newspapers in his hand, 
hurls them at his image, then jumps back and seizes 
the one chair. As he does so he imagines he hears a 
noise, pauses, puts down the chair, goes over to the 
door and listens. There is no sound. He half- 
strikes at something, then straightens up. On^e 
more his mood appears to change. He goes over to 
the bed and lifts one corner of the mattress, extract- 
ing from under it a considerable length of rubber 
gas tubing. Surveying it, and looking at the gas 
jet.l It's the red ones, that's the trouble — the 
blacks ain't so bad. They wouldn't hurt me, no- 



168 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

how. What's the use, though? I'm crazy, an' 
they're sure to get me. I can't beat 'em. G'wan! 
\_Stri]ces at something.^ I might as well quit now. 
\_His shoulder jerJcs. He measures the distance from 
the gas jet to the bed to see if he has enough.'\ It's 
no use. \^His shoulder jerks.^ I'm hungry! An' 
I'm gettin' thinner an' chinner all the time. \_He 
goes to the mirror once more and examines himself, 
then looks about and strikes at something.^ An' the 
red ones won't let me alone. G'wan ! [^He stares at 
an invisible somethim,g.'\ Why won't you let me 
alone? Say? G'wan! {He strikes at something, 
turn^ and sits down on the bed. Meditatively/.'] An' 
I wanted to live just like other people, an' be happy. 
I wanted a girl an' a home too, an' now look at me ! 
{He pauses, then wipes his eyes with the back of 
his hand.] I'm not all bad. I've worked an' I've 
tried to be all right, too. {Strikes.] But they won't 
let me alone ! They won't ever do it. G'wan ! Get 
away, I tell you! {Strikes.] I ain't right. Look 
at 'em ! Look at 'em ! {He gets up, moves away as 
if from pursuers; his arm jerks. Stiffening, his ex- 
pression changing.] But it's their pretty mouths 
an' their hair — that's it! It's the way they wear 
their shirtwaists an' paint their faces ! I can't stand 
it ! It's the red ones. It ain't my fault — it's theirs ! 
I can't help myself no more. They make me do it. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 169 

\_He grows savage, vigorous. His shoulder jer1cs.'\ 
Well, I won't die, either. [^Throws down the tuhing,'\ 
Why should I? It ain't my fault. I ain't done 
nothin' much, have I.'* I couldn't help it, could I? 
I didn't make myself, did I? [He stares sternly he- 
fore him. His shoulder jerJis.'] PU tell 'em that, I 
will! I'll write it. \He pities up one of the news- 
papers, tears off a small corn£r, fishes about in his 
coat for a lead pencil, and finding a small bit goes 
to the dresser and scribbles on the paper, pausing 
once as he does so to strike. Quotes:^ ''I didn't 
make myself, did I? G'wan!" [Reaches up and 
fastens it agaimst the wall alongside the mirror. His 
shoulder j erics. ^ Well, I won't quit yet, either. I'm 
not all in. G'wan ! G'wan ! [Strike^ at something.]^ 
They ain't got me. 

[He goes to the nail, takes down his hat and 
coat, and puts them on. As he does so, he 
hears a noise. He thinks some one is coming 
up the stairs, goes over and listens. A period 
of silence follows in which no noise is heard. 
His shoulder jerks. A newsboy^s voice is 
heard crying. 1 

THE NEWSBOY 

Extro ! Extro ! All about Isadore Berchansky ! 
Extro ! Extro ! [The voice fades. 1 



170 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

ISADOBE 

J[Listenmgf.'] 
Huh! I wonder who it is now. I bet they've 
found somebody else. I better not go out, though. 
They might know me. [^His shoulder jerks. He 
goes back to the hed.'\ G'wan! {^Strikes at some- 
thing.^ It's the red ones all the time, not the blacks. 
They won't let me alone — always foUowin' me 
around. G'wan! {^Strikes.'] I gotta eat, though. 
I can't go on this way. I gotta eat or die. [His 
shoulder jerks. He moves toward the door.l I 
gotta get out o' New York an' get sompin to do, or 
I gotta quit. It ain't no use. \_Pauses.^ It's the 
red ones. That's it. They won't let me alone. 
G'wan! [Strikes at something.^ Nothin' but a cup 
o' coffee an' a sandwich since Wednesday! \H& 
sfdffs, reaches in his pocket and pulls out some 
change. His shoulder jerks. '\ Eighteen cents ! An' 
I ain't got the strength to earn any more. Look at 
me ! [He surveys himself in the Tnirror. His shoul- 
der jerks.^ It's all up with me, I guess. G'wan! 
[He strikes at something.'\ These papers'U fix me. 
They're all talkin' about my arm. [Pauses. 1^ I 
wonder why Joe ain't answered my letter, an' Green- 
baum, the stiff! [He gulps. '\ G'wan! [He draws 
hack his arm threateningly.^ I guess he's afraid. 
Well, that's the way — ^when you ain't got nothin'. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 171 

\_He stiffens and strikes at something. His shoulder 
jerks. 1 Gee, but it's tough, though! All the world 

goin' on an' happy, an' me 

[^He half sohs, then starts to pick up the gas 
tube. The sound of steps is heard on the 
stairs. Hastily he puts away the tube and 
papers, and straightens up, listenmg intently. 
His shoulder jerks. A knock sounds, then 
another.l^ 

A VOICE 

J[Outside.'\ 
Mr. Abrams ! Mr. Abrams ! [Isadobe does not 
answer. The door rattles.'] You are in there.'' I 
know you're in there! Vy don't you open the door.'* 

ISADOAE 

\_Stirring.] 
Wait a minute ! 

\^He goes to the door and opens it slightly. 
His shoulder jerks.] 

SAMUEL ELKAS 

[^ small, dark, restless, inquisitive, ferret-like 
Jew, clothed in a dirty shirt, open at the neck, 
and rolled up at the sleeves, a pair of baggy, 
messy trousers, the suspenders of which are 
hanging down, and the leg-ends of which 



172 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

gather in folds above Ms instep. He wears 
slippers. His hair is towsled, his face and 
hands are damp and dirty.'\ 
Good efternoon, Mr. Abrams. So, you are not 
yerking yet? Hev you my rent for me? 

ISADORE 

\TaTcvng off his hat and rubbmg his stomach 
and hair.l^ 
I've been sick to-day. I couldn't look, very well. 
But I've got a job, now, for to-morrow. \^His shoul- 
der jerks. He turns it away from Elkas.] A 
friend o' mine is goin' to give it to me. By to-mor- 
row night I'll have your rent for you. 

\IIe starts to strike at somethimg, hut pauses.'\ 

ELKAS 

\With a gesture. 1 
To-morrow! To-morrow! Alvays to-morrow! 
Veil, if I don't get it by den, you vill haf to get out. 
You t'ink ve verk to give rooms free to people? 
[Isadore's shoulder jerks. ^, Vot is it vith your arm? 
Is it hurt? 

ISADORE 

\_Savagel2/.'] 
No, no, no! Nothin'! \^He starts to close the 
doorJ\ I'll get it for you to-morrow, sure. [His 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 173 

shoulder jerks. ^ Can't you trust me till then? I'll 
pay you, sure. [^His shoulder jerks. He pushes the 
door nearly #o.] I can get a dollar an' a half. It's 
only a week yesterday. 

[^As the two stand there speaking, a little girl 
of nine or ten, dark, elfish, pretty, appears 
and stands behind Elkas, who is evidently 
unaware of her presence. She peeps aroumd 
as if anxious to he neither heard nor seen. 
She has on a worn hhie gingham dress, sleeve- 
less and cut low at the neck, which is very 
soiled and torn. Her legs as well as her arms 
are hare and dirty, and her hair is disheveled 
and not very clean, hut she has the charm of 
sprightlimess and curiosity,^ 

ELKAS 

[Lifting his hands. '\ 
Veil, vy dontcha, den.? I kent, an' I need it bed 
enough. Ve haf to verk, too. 

\He gesticulates antagonistically.^ 

ISADORE 

{Crossly.'] 
Well, I'll have it for you by to-morrow, I tell you 
— by six o'clock. {His shoulder jerks. He looks to 
one side as if to strike at something.] Don't bother 



174. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

me no more to-day, will you! I'll pay you then, 
sure. 

\_He pushes at the door as if to close it.'\ 

ELKAS 

l^Piishmg at his side of the door to hold it 
open.^ 
By six o'clock ! By six o'clock ! Den, if you don't 
pay, I lose Sunday, too ! Vy not by noon? 

ISADOEE 

All right, by noon. I'll get it to you as soon as I 
get it — by noon I'll send it over. [^His shoulder 
jerhs.'\ You'll get it, all right. Please don't worry 
me now. \^Aside.'\ G'wan! 

ELKAS 

{Dovhtfully, moving back. The child dis- 
appears.^ 
Veil, if it vuz some von else, I vouldn't do it. Since 
you're sick, I'll let it go to-day as a favor to you. ' 
\_He goes out. Isadore closes the door, listens, 
then after a time looJcs up.'\ 

ISADORE 

[^His shoulder jerks.^ 
Yes, the pig! To-morrow I'll pay him — to-mor- 
row — ^huh ! — I won't be alive to-morrow ! G'wan ! 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 175 

[^Strikes at so7netlimg.'\ It's the red ones, 
that's it. They won't let me alone. A lot of 
difference it'll make by to-morrow! I might as well 
quit now. I gotta. It's the red ones. I can't get 
away. He saw my arm. [Goes over to the hed.^ 
Gee, it's a wonder he didn't connect me! G'wan 
away! [Strikes at something. With a frown.'] 
Maybe he did ! [Takes out the rubber tube, fastens 
one end of it over the gas jet and carries the other 
end to the head of the bed and rests it there. His 
shoulder jerks. He takes off his hat and coat, then 
gets out the pencil and begins feverishly to scribble 
on the wall at the head of the bed. As he writes h^ 
talks.] "Parole — officer — Gavan — is — a — damned — 
liar." G'wan! [Strikes.] "He — told — me — not — ■ 

to^ — call " G'wan ! [Strikes.] " — any — ^more. He 

— never — told — me — to^ — sign — any — papers " 

[Stops, frowns, and stares at something.] G'wan! 
[Strikes. Writes.] "It's — the — red — ones — ^not — ■ 
the — blacks. He — told — me — he'd — send — — ^" 
[Stops and frormis.] G'wan! " — them — to — me — 

in — a — blank — envelope " [Pauses and thinks. 

Frowns, then writes.] "Seven — is — right. Don't — 

cry " [Strikes.] G'wan! 

[A tap is heard at the door. Instantly^ he stif- 
fens, removes the tube from the gas jet, tip- 
toes to the bed and puts it u/nder, then drams 



176 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

a small knife from Ms pocket and listens. 
The tap is repeated. He does not answer. ll 

A SOFT LOW VOICE 

Mr. Ab'ams ! Mr. Ab'ams ! 

ISADORE 

[^Relaxing, and putting back the knife."] 

Yes.? 

THE VOICE 

Oh, Mr. Ab'ams ! It's Hagar ! 

ISADOBE 

IGrufjiy.] 
Yes ? Whaddy ya want ? 
[His shoidder jerks.] 

THE VOICE 

[Sweetly.] 
I've got sompin for you, Mr. Ab'ams. [He opens 
the door and looks out. The little girl is there. She 
has an apple and is holding it out to him.] Want 
this.? 

ISADORE 

[Starting. His shoulder jerks.] 
Oh, it's you» is it? What made you wanta bring 
it to me ? [His expression changes from one of fear 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 177 

and doubt to one of smiling sympathy. He forgets 
to strike. A weird smile passes over his face.^ 
Come on in. 

[^TaJces her by the arm and pulls her m] 

HAGAK, 

[^Uncertainly.'l 
I don't think I'd better. He'll scold if he ketches 
me up here. I'm not allowed. 

l^Looks about as if to see if any one is coming. 
She laughs.^ 

ISADORE 

[^Warmly.^ 
Aw, come on. [^His shoulder jerks. His face 
grimaces oddly. Over his shoulder.^ G'wan! 

HAGAK. 

{Looking at him ajid smilvng.'] 
I heard what you said. You said you ain't got no 
money, an' I felt sorry, so I thought I'd bring you 
this. {She holds up the apple-l Didn't you see me? 
I was behind papa. {She laughs. Isadore shakes 
his head. He looks at her greedily, staring at her 
arms and bare feet. His expression changes. He 
leers and smooths her arms and neck. His shoulder 
jerks. He shivers.^ Don't you know me.'' 



178 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

ISADOEE 

\_Darkli/.'] 
Sure. You're Hagar Elkas, ain't you? [She 
nods.^ You like me, Hagar, don't you? Somebody 
likes me, anyhow. [^To one side,^ G'wan! 

HAGAE 

\Nodding her head and simlmg.'\ 
Uh-huh! Who you talkin' to? 
[She looks aroimd behind him.'\ 

ISADORE 

Nobody ! Nobody ! 

[He controls an inclination to strike."] 

HAGAR 

I seen you goin' out this mornin'. [Looking at 
the papers on the floor. ~\ Wotcha doin' with all 
them papers — lookin' for a "ob? 

ISADORE 

[Looking about apprehensively, then stooping 

to gather up the papers from the floor and 

stuff them in a bureau drawer. He smiles 

wanly.] 

That's right! You've got it! I'm lookin' for a 

job. [His shoulder jerks.] Come on up here. [He 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 179 

pichs her up and seats her on the bureau and begins 
to trifle with her hair and feel her knees. His shoul- 
der jerJcs. Again his expression changes to a leer. 
His face contorts. He glances over her, then looks 
up, sees himself in the mirror. Pauses. Puts his hand 
to his head and begins to back away. As he does 
so, a noise is heard in the hall below, a voice calling 
"Hagab! HagarI" a door slams. Voices sound, 
then die away. The voice of a newsboy in the street 
is heard — "Extrol Extro! Isadore Berchansky — /" 
Silence. Isadore stares at Hagar, who stares back at 
him i/rb astonishment.'] Naw! Naw! That's right! I'd 
better not do that any more! I won't! I can't! 
It's the red ones, that's it ! They won't let me alone. 
[His shoidder jerks.] I'd better quit now before I 
do, though. I'm crazy, all right. [He goes to the 
door and listens, then returns and lifts Hagar down 
and pushes her toward the door, his shoulder jerk- 
ing. Roughly.] Get out, kid! Quick! Quick! Get 
out, I tell you, before I do sompin ! Get out ! You 
don't know me ! Can't you see ? Quick ! Quick ! Hurry ! 
[His manner is very rough. He pushes her out, 
and as she gives him a frightened glance, slams 
the door, locks it, and then stands with his back 
to it, and stares.] Naw! Naw! I'd better not 
do that no more! I better go, though, before I 
kill somebody else! I'm sure to! Poor lit- 



180 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

tie kid! [^His shoulder jerks. He goes to the hedy 
pulls off the coverlet and lays it along the crack at 
the bottom of the door, the while his shoulder jerks. 
He takes the newspapers out of the drawer and mak- 
ing twists of them, begins stuffing them into the 
cracks along the sides and between the window and 
in the keyhole. As he works he talks. ~\ Mom, you'll 
understand this. You know me. It's for the best. 
I couldn't help it. You'll understand. They won't 
let me alone. G'wan! [^Strikes at something.^ 
Don't cry! I'm no good, anyhow. I never was. 
l^His shoulder jerks. 1 You know that. \^He wipes 
his eyes.'] Be good to Masha. Tell her I always 
thought she was the best of 'em all. \^He pauses and 
stares at something, moves as if to strike, but sub- 
sides without doing it.] She knows I like her. [^His 
shoulder jerks.] An' pop! Poor old pop! \_He 
stops, picks up another bit of newspaper, writes on 
it and looks about for a suitable place to fasten it, 
finally sticking it in the mirror frame. His shoulder 
jerks. He stares curiously at something. Heavily.] 
I guess they'll see that, all right. [^His shoulder 
jerks.] G'wan! [^Strikes at something, goes over 
to the bed, takes out the gas tube, fastens one end 
over the gas jet and taking out his handkerchief 
stretches it by the corners and ties the tube to it. 
Looking over his shoulder.] G'wan! [Then he gets 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 181 

his coat, spreads it over the window with pins, and 
goes back to the bed, picks up the other end of the 
tube and stands there, his shoulder jerking from 
time to time. The curtain begins to descend.'^ Well, 
I guess it's all day for me, all right. They won't let 
me be. G'wan! [Strikes at something.'] I ain't 

all bad, an' I don't wanta die, but — oh \He sits 

down.^ 

CUETAIN 



Scene 2 

The same as Scene 1, except that it is now about 
eleven in the morning of the next day. Every- 
thing is as before, except that the window and 
door are open, the gas tubing hanging straight 
from the jet to the floor. Isadore's hat and 
coat are lying on one corner of the bed. On the 
floor in different places are the twists of paper 
used in stuffing the window and keyhole. PlaiTdy 
outlined on the bed under a sheet is a body. A 
stout Irish policeman is standing in the doorway. 
Another is outside. Three reporters are grouped 
together near the window, examining a bit of 
paper. 

FIRST POLICEMAN 

Ye'll be tellin' thim to bring his father or some 
one, eh? 

SECOND POLICEMAN 

That's right. 

[Exit. The first policeman strolls over to where 
the three reporters stand, and looks over their 
shoulders. Ij^ 

182 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 18S 

ARMSBY 

[^Reporter for the Herald. He is short and 
stout and florid, with hair growing over his 
coat collar. In one pocket are various news- 
papers.^ 
Say, this'U create a real row, this will! It's Ber- 
'chansky, all right — no doubt of it. Look at what 
he says here [reads, the other two looking over his 
shoulder'\ — "I'm guilty, and I'm insane, caused by 
the beautiful make-ups of girls that has set me very 
passionate. Don't cry." [He looks up with a quiz- 
zical light in his eyes.~\ Whaddy ya know about 
that! [Smiles. '\ No one gets the two thousand re- 
ward, do they.f' That T/as for catching him alive, 
wasn't it.'' 

LEACH 

[Reporter for the Times. Young— ^about 

twenty-two — tall, slender, cynical, very neat, 

a pair of large gold-rimmed glasses on his 

nose.'] 

Yes, that was it. No one gets the two thousand 

now. Who found him.'' 

[He stares about the room, and at the bed.] 

THE POLICEMAN 

Sure, the landlord here. Elkas is his name. He's 
gone to the station now. But he don't know it's 



184 THE HAND O? THE POTTER 

Berchansky yet. No i did I till that young 

felly from the American in. He took some of 

these papers away with , I'm thinkin'. I was 

standin' downstairs wait .er me partner to come 
up, when who should coi unnin' out but the land- 
lord here, a-yellin' at thf :op of his voice. Sure, I 
thot he was killed hims , I did. "What's ailin' 
ye?" I says. "A man's Dirdered in me house," he 
says ; "he's killed himself he says. So I blows me 
whistle an' beats me sth k, an' at that I runs up 
here, an' here he was, a-h n' there with that tube in 
'is mouth, an' that pilly o> er 'is head. "Come, now," 
I says, shakin' 'im, "come out o' that !" but he was 
dead, all right. 

QUINN 

[^Reporter for the Sun. Irish, short, slen- 
der, red-headed, qu'ch, almost waspish in his 
speech, about thirty-five years of age, and 
with a slight hrogueJ^ 
He didn't know it was Berchansky, ye say.? 

THE POLICEMAN 

Divil a bit. It was the little felly from the Ameri- 
can that was in here just a'lead o' ye b'ys that told 
me that. He told me naht to say naathin', but since 
ye've found out fer yerselves, sure, there's no haarm 
in tellin' ye. \Grins.~[ Sure, ye'll be afther sayin' 



THE HAND OF ^lE POTTER 185 

that Aafficer McKagg we Jed in, an' that I was 
here dooin' me dooty [he ^ Quinn on the elbozei] ? 

Sure, ye'U be afther know; , )w to fix it up. 

Sure! Sure! That's all %ht! What's the full 
name? [^He begins to wrh %t.'\ If that landlord 
had only known yesterday, might have had that 
two thousand. Say! ^ 

MC KAG*i 

iSolemnly.'] ''"i 

By God, you're right ! Tl?ink ave him losin' that ! 
[He looks over their shollders as they write. ^ 
Aafficer Thomas McKagg, twelfth precinct, 

liEACB 

arms:b^Y 
[Together, as they sh(m their papers to Mc- 
Kagg.] 
That's right, isn't it — ^M-c-K-a-g-g.f* 

MC KAGG 

Yes, that's it. - 

[He smiles gratefully.,^ 

QUINN 

I suppose the father'll be down here pretty soon, 
now. Have any detectives been here yet-f* 



186 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

MC KAGG 

Divil a waan. I'm doubtin' if they know it yet, 
This'll be afther makin' thim sorer still. 

QUINN 

J[JubUantli/.'] 
A fine lot of detectives they have in this town! 
Say! Two hundred of 'em on the job, and they 
haven't turned up a thing — not waan. We've turned 
up everything that's been turned up so far — the 
mother, the sister, and now this poor divil. 
J[He waves a ha/nd toward the bed.^ 

LEACH 

\^BrisJcli/.li 
Whaddy ya know! Isn't that a scream — the 
whole force looking for him — and we newspaper men 
find him! 

[^He laughs. '\ 

ARMSBY 

[Who is going about looking for other evidence 
■'. — softly to Leach.] 
Sure, they're all no good, a lot of hoboes. [He 
sees something on the floor and picJes it up. Starts 
to conceal it, but sees Qtjinn and the officer looking 
at him, and opens it.'] Here's some writing. [He 
reads. As he does so, the other two come to his 
?. ] "Tell — mother — I — should — ^ha ve — died — two 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 18T 

— years — ago. So — let — her — forget — as — though 
— ^it's — two^ — ^years — already." 

[^He takes out his notebooJc and begins to jot it 
domn.^ 

QUINN 

[Approaching with his pencil and paper.~\ 
Not bad, that ! Not bad ! A nice bit o' sentiment. 
\_He begins to write. ^ The poor divil was crazy, all 
right. Sure enough! I begin to feel sorry for him. 
He couldn't help it, I suppose. 

LEACH 

You think not? Oh, I don't kfiow. Let me 
have that first paper, Armsby, will. you.? I want to 
copy it. 

[^A.^M&BY ^ives'it to himi.'[ 

ARMSBY 

[Goi/ng to the bed, picks up a paper containing 
Isadore's picture, turns back the sheet and 
compares the two. Leach follows.'\ 
It'sihim, all right. I see it now. The very fellow ! 

LEACH 

\_Ea:citedl2f, looking at the wall^above Isadore's 
head.]i 
Say, here's something else! He's written all over 
the place! [^Armsby looks up. '\ He must have been 



188 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

I 

clean crazy! \_Reads slowly. 1 "Parole — officer — 

Gavan — is — a — damned — liar. Go — 'way ! He — 

told — me — not — to — call — any — more. He — never, 

— told — ^me — to^ — sign — any — ^papers. It's — the — 

reds — ^not — the — blacks. He — told — me — ^he'd — send 

— ^'em — to — me — in — a — blank — envelope. Seven — 

is — right. Don't — cry. It's — no — use — much! Ha! 

Ha ! Yes. I'm — a — prize-fighter !" 

\_Takes out his pencil and paper, as does 

Abmsby. They begin to write. Quinn comes 

over.l 

QUINN 

What's this, now ? Let me see ! \_Reads the writ- 
mg over their shoulders.'] What d'ye think of that .J* 
What d'ye s'pose he means by those things, anyhow 
< — the reds and the blacks.'' [He writes also.'\ He 
^ust have been crazy, sure enough. That's quairer 
than the last, that. We aaht to get his faather down 
[here to identify him. The papers are interested in 
|him. 

LEACH 

That's right. Only, the officer says he thinks some 
one from the American has gone for him. 

MC KAGG 

{Leaning against the door, his hands behind 
him.] 
Make yerselves aisy on that score. That little 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 189 

felly from the American has gaan, aal right. He 
told me naht to let any waaii else in till he come back 
with him, if I could help it. Of course, he's a nice 
little felly, but I couldn't do that. Aal the papers 
have a right here. '[He smiles.^ Vallally, that's me 
partner, has just been afther tellin' headquarters, 
an' they'll be gettin' him here in no time, too. 
They're sure to bring 'im, even if the little felly 
don't. 

[He straightens up and puts his thumbs 4m his 
belt.'] 

ARMSBY 

We'd better not be too sure of that. He might 
not bring him back until we're out of here. One of 
us ought to go, I'm thinking. [Then, as Leach 
picks up another bit of paper from the floor and 
unfolds it, and then attempts to slip it into his 
pocket.] What's that.? 
[He coTnes over.] 

X,EACH 

[A little shame-facedly.] 
Nothing much, I guess. 

[Takes it out and unfolds it.] 

ARMSBY 

Let's see it. [Quinn comes over.] It's fifty-fifty 
on all this, isn't it? 



190 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

QUINN 

Sure ! You're not goin' to hold anything out, are 
you? 

LEAdH 

\^Irritahli/.'\ 
Not at all ! Not at all ! Who's holding anything 
out? Can't I see it first if I find it? [Opens it.'\ 
Look at this! \^Reads.'\ "This is to my dear 
mother who I am always homesick for, and same to 
rest and pop, whose word I am taking by doing this. 
Go 'way ! Maybe you think it's easy. Well, maybe 
it is. I don't know. It's the reds, not the blacks. 
Mostly red. They won't let me alone. I figure 
easiest of my own. I want to say if I don't die this 
way I'll take my medicine just the same. Fields, 
carriages, four trees. Don't cry. My last job was in 
pants manafactor at 61 Norfolk. He owes me two 
days' work. I ain't et in three. Please secure pay 
and give to my dear mother who is very poor and 
for truth my mind ain't right. Go 'way! My old- 
est sister has lots of money and Greenbaum and don't 
help as she should, or Rae either. Eleven buttons — ' 
four seams — and the bottoms turned up. I'm sorry 
to cause all this trouble to my neighbor in particu- 
lar, but all he's gotta do is call a cop ! Go 'way ! Go 
'way ! Gavan is a liar ! Tell mother I'm really guilty 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 191 

and she'll not cry her eyes out — ^heart. Poor mom! 
You think Fm innocent, even yet, don't you? Moth- 
ers is wonders ! Great ! I am, too, only I ain't made 
right. Red, not black. We ain't made right — not 
all of us — all wrong. It's their pretty mouths an' 
hair an' the way they walk an' them shirtwaists so 
fine — that's it ! Sorry. I got crazy like I often do, 
an' you can't blame me or nobody else. It don't 
ido things right always. Can you blame a man when 
he ain't right.'' 

"Isadore Berchansky." 



[Looking M.p] 
Tough, eh,'* 



ARMSBY 



QUINN 



You're right, it's tough. Ye never can tell about 
these poor divils, as [he pomts to the letter^ ye can 
see by that. Here's the whole city runnin' him down 
an' he may not have been as bad as the people have 
been thinkin'. Life's a pretty stiff thing at times. 

liEACH 

[Going to the bureau and smoothing out the 
paper he has found, preparatory to copying 
it.\ 



192 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

Oh, I don't know about that. I wonder sometimes 
just how crazy some of them are. I know a doctor 
who has made a study of these cases at Johns Hop- 
kins, and he isn't so sure that they deserve so much 
sympathy. I can't understand it myself, wanting 
to attack a little girl like that, especially when he 
might interest a grown girl. The public wouldn't 
feel one-fiftieth as terrible if he had tried to attack 
a grown one instead of this little kid. But a little 
girl! And to torture her! Hell, you might as well 
talk about having sympathy for a mad dog. What 
I can't understand, though, is how it comes that a 
man like that should be allowed to walk about the 
streets here in New York free — not a person to 
touch him. And he had tried to attack another 
little girl two years ago. Why shouldn't his parents 
have done something about him then? He himself 
says he should have been dead two years ago. Well, 
why didn't they lock him up then.-' What's the big 
idea, letting a fellow like that run at large.'' 

AEMSBY 

{ThoughtfiiMy and apologeticallyJ\ 

Oh, I know, but then you can't always tell, either. 

Everything isn't on the surface in this world. His 

parents might not have thought him as bad as he 

was, or they might have been sorry for him. Sup- 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 193 

posing you had a brother like that — then what? 
Would you want him locked up right away? People 
don't like to break up their own homes, especially 
parents. They feel too bad about it. At the same 
time, they're likely to think he'll get better. A single 
offense doesn't al'ways prove that a man's crazy, 
especially in a case like this. He might change. 

QUINN 

You're right there. The public doesn't under- 
stand them yet. I've been readin' up on these cases 
for some time, an' from what I can make out they're 
no more guilty than any other person with a disease. 
Did ye know, ayther ave ye, that there's something 
they've called harmones which the body manufac- 
tures an' which is poured into the blood streams of 
every waan ave us which excites us to the m'aning 
ave beauty an' thim things — "sensitizes" is the word 
they use. Now if a felly is so constituted that he 
has more ave that an' less ave somethin' else — some- 
thin' which balances him a little an' makes him less 
sensitive to the beauty of women or girls — he's likely 
to be like that. He can't help it. There's something 
in him that pushes him on in spite of himself. This 
felly's letter says so. I believe if the public knew 
more about these cases it might be able to catch 
some of these fellies earlier an' begin to treat 'em 



194 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

or put 'em away somewhere where they'd come out 
aal right. They're naht aal bad — that's one thing 
sure, as ye can see by this. [He points to the letter 
Leach has been reading and is still holding.^ 

LEACH 

[Superiorily.^ 
Oh, all right. Just the same, this business of 
sympathizing with these people can be carried too 
far, I tell you. When I was at Cornell we made a 
study of some of these fellows. They have a pretty 
fine psychiatric laboratory there. We studied doz- 
ens of such cases. In every one we found that how- 
ever feeble-minded a fellow like that might actually 
be, or queer, still, ordinarily, you couldn't tell it, you 
know, and often he was able to do better if he wanted 
to. They look just like other people. 

QUINN 

[Irritably, and yet lightly.^ 
Ave course ! Ave course ! What taalk have ye ? 
Man, ye don't mane to say ye went to Cornell to 
find that out, do ye.'' It's in a hundred books. 
Haven't ye ever read Havelock Ellis or Kraft-Eb- 
bing.'* They give thousands ave cases — thousands. 
[He takes the letter from Armsby and begvns 
to write. ^ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 195 

LEACH 

ITestUi/.'] 
^Sure I've read 'em. Of course. What do you 
think? What makes me so tired, though, is your tak- 
ing up for these fellows as though they were de- 
serving of nothing but sympathy. I don't see that 
so much sympathy is to be wasted on 'em, really. 
How about the little girl he killed? Her life was 
as good to her as his was to him. And I notice that 
fellows like that are nearly always shrewd enough 
to take care of themselves and get what they want. 
Take this Berchansky, there, now. [He nods to- 
wards the bed.^ He was clever enough to lure that 
little girl to that empty apartment in some way. 
You can't say that that was so very fine. 'You can't 
have too much sympathy for them, I tell you. They 
ought to be watched, and at the first sign shut up 
for good — that's what I say. It's just as well that 
they are hounded in this way. It has to be so. 

[As he talks, Armshy, who has been prowlmg 
about loohmg for other things but now 
scenting an> argument, draws near.'\ 

QUINN 

[Stopping his writing and coining directly vmr 
der LeacWs chin, staring up at him, argu- 
ment atively.^ 



196 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

Who's denyin' it, I'd like to know? Me? What 
ye say is aal true enough, and I'm naht sayin' that 
he shouldn't have been locked up long ago if they 
could have caught him — I think he should have — 
but what makes me tired in you an' others an' the 
papers is all this shoutin' about human tigers lurkin' 
on the East Side an' everywhere else, men without a 
spark ave anything but evil in 'em — plain murderers 
— an' doin' naathin' aal day long but lie in wait 
for little girls, to kill 'em. Ye'd think there was only 
waan side to the story. Ye'd think from the papers 
ave the past six weeks that this felly was aal wolf, 
naathin' but murder an' rape in his mind, a sane, 
calculatin' villain turned to this sort ave thing for 
the fun of it only — naht a poor, crazy wastrel like 
this, without a place to go an' no way ave gettin' 
himself anything ave any kind. If he was such a 
divil, what was he doin' workin' for a dollar a day — 
an' naht gettin' his pay, at that ? Now, for aal ye've 
been to Cornell — an' I don't doubt ye learned a lot 
there — there's another side to this, an' ye're just the 
waan to know it if ye've been there. People judge 
these fellies solely by their acts, when as a, matter 
ave fact they aaht to take into account the things 
which make up their natures an' dispositions. This 
felly could no more help bein' what he was than a 
fly can help bein' a fly an' naht an elephant, an' 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 197 

that's naht at aal. Nature is deeper an' stronger 
than anything we know. An' by that I'm naht sayin' 
that the human race hasn't the right to defend itself 
from this sort ave felly. It has, an' does. What 
I'm taalkin' about is aal this palaver in the papers 
about wolves an' divils. Why, man, by the papers 
ave the last six weeks ye'd think the streets were full 
ave demons in the shape ave men. Ye've seen 'em 
arrest at least a hundred men for even smilin' at a 
child or ahfFerin' it a stick ave candy. And now 
look at 'im. There he is — ^hungry an' dirty an' thin 
an' hidden away in this pe-latial room, an' there's 
that letter to his mother tellin' her not to cry an' 
that he aaht to have been dead two years ago, an' 
that he's naht right. Ave course he wasn't right, 
the poor divil, an' perhaps no waan knew it better 
than his mother, ayther, an' that's why he writes 
to her. [Leach shakes his head argument ativeli/.'\ 
An', me boy, while we're on this subject, let me tell 
ye just waan thing more; I'm an older man than ye 
by fourteen years an' I've seen a little somethin' ave 
life that maybe ye haven't seen yet, anyhow. Don't 
be so cocksure in your judgments of who are the 
good an' who are the bad in this world. Facts an' 
proofs are naht aal on the surface, by any means, 
as Armsby here was aafter sayin'. Ye were sayin' a 
while ago that he aaht to have taken a grown woman 



198 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

or girl. How do ye know whether any girl or woman 
would give him a single look or no, let alone a second 
waan? But supposin' ye were like him — ^hungry an' 
tortured by their pretty mouths an' their hair an' 
the way they walk an' their shirtwaists so fine — I 
believe that's what he says here [he looks at the 
letter^ — then what? Are ye sure ye'd do so very 
different from what he did, driven by the things that 
were drivin' him? 

LEACH 

Oh, I don't know. I might not, of course. 

QUINN 

Ye're tootin', ye might naht, nor any other man 
in the same state an' place. Now, I wouldn't have a 
single word to say ave this case if it weren't for all 
the noble palaverin' that's been goin' on in an' out 
ave the papers, in the churches an' everywhere else. 
Everybody seems to know exactly just what a low, 
horrible scoundrel he was without a spark ave de- 
cency in him. Well, it just so happens that I've 
been studyin' these very kinds ave cases for years, an' 
I know what I'm taalkin' about. Aal men are naht 
balanced or normal be their own free will an' say-so, 
any more than they're free an' aqual in life, an' 
that's naht at aal. They're naht aal endowed with 



THE HAND OP THE POTTER 199 

the power or the will to do an' select, aal the rules 
ave the copybooks to the contrary nahtwithstandin'. 
Some are so constituted mentally an' physically that 
they can't do otherwise than as they do, an' that's 
what ye never can get through the average felly's 
brain, nor through the average newspaper's, ayther. 
Most people have a few rules, a pattern, an' every- 
body's supposed to be like that. Well, they're naht. 
An' naathin' will ever make 'em exactly alike, ayther 
— ayther aal good or aal bad, or a little ave waan or 
the other, accordin' to anybody's theory. Nature 
don't work that way. An' nature makes people, me 
young friend, me an' you [he taps Mm on the chest^, 
an' every waan else, an' she don't aalways make us 
right ayther, by a damned sight. Some people don't 
aalways have aal they waant mentally or physically 
— if they did I'd be a millionaire to-day — ^nayther 
can they aalways do as they'd like to, or aaht to, aal 
theories to the contrary nahtwithstandin'. Some- 
times they're made to do things — ^lots ave thim — by 
forces over which they have no control. [Leach stirs 
arguTnentatively.l Man, ye're naht goin' to deny 
that? Sometimes I think we're naht unlike those 
formulae they give ye in a chemical laboratory — if 
ye're made up right, ye work right; if ye're naht, 
ye don't, an' that's aal there is to it — laa or no laa. 
An' another thing I'm tellin' ye, me young friend. 



200 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

an' I'd like ye to think it over from time to time, 
whether ye like it or naht — that Dennis Quinn said 
it — an' that is that laa is merely somethin' that 
forces people to do what they don't waant to do 
whether they will or no, naht somethin' that aalways 
shows 'em how to do it^ — ye get me ? Remember that, 
me young friend. I'm telKn' ye. If ye waant to 
come out exactly right in this world, which nobody 
ever does, ye waant to be pairfectly balanced, or 
nearly that — an' few are that. It's more luck than 
anythin' else, an' that's true, too. Now ye were 
say in' a while ago that ye can't understand why a 
man like that should be attackin' a little girl, unless 
he were a low, vile creature, even if he wasn't bal- 
anced quite right — ^but I can. If ye'd ever made a 
study ave the passion ave love in the sense that 
Freud an' some others have ye'd understand it well 
enough. It's a great force about which we know 
naathing as yet an' which we're just beginnin' to 
look into — ^what it manes, how it affects people. 



LEACH 

Oh, well, I'm ready to admit all that. Let's cut 
this, anyhow. We haven't got time. 

[The voice of a newshoy sounds: "Extro! 
Extro! All about Isadore BerchansJci/!'*^ 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 201 

ARMSBY 

{Energetically, ] 
Yes, fellows, you'd better cut the argument and 
make copies of this. Look around! Look around! 
The bull'U soon be here I Then they'll be wanting to 
shut everything off. 

l^He opens all the drawers and looks under the 
bureau. Qui/nn goes over to the body and 
feels m the pocJcets. He looJcs under the bed 
and picks up a collar, and starts to conceal 
it. Leach examines more of the walls. A 
step is heard on the stair. McKagg looks 
down.^ 

MC KAGG 

I dunno who this may be. It's the central men 
now, I'm thinkin', aal right. Yes, it's them. There's 
three ave thim^ Better put those things away if ye 
waant thim. 

[Enter Detectives McGranahan, Harsh and 
Skumm. They are typical sleuths — very 
wide-eyed, very dull, very suspicious, and very 
secretive. Detective-fashion, they keep their 
hats on, even while bending over the 
dead. They swagger into the room, look- 
ing about as if each detail might contain a 
secret. They look at Leach and Akmsby 



^02 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

copymg, then approach the bed. As they do, 
they greet the newspaper men familiarly, mho 
eye them askance, hut return the salutation 
genially. '[ 

MC GEANAHAN 

{Turning bach the sheet and eyeing the face of 

ISADORE.] 

Well, we've caught him at last, eh? So he quit, 
eh? The poor nut ! Crazy, I hear! 

{He looks around loftily at the newspaper 
7nen.'\ 

SKUMM 

{Equally superior. '\ 
Gas! Whaddy ya know! 

[He looks at the gas jet and the rubber tube. 

QuiNN nudges Abmsby, who eyes him without 

smiling. 1 

HARSH 

{As McGranahan pidls back the sheet."] 
Pretty tough-lookin' mug, eh? 

{They turn to the newspaper men, who are 
looking at the letter.] 

MC 6RANAHAN 

What's that ? Find anything much to identify him 
by, boys? 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 203 

QUINN 

[^Who has a paper m his hand.'\ 
It's a letter to his mother. We'll give it to you 
after. They're a dozen things about the place — 
letters on the walls, and everywhere. 

SKUMM 

[Sarcastically, with a crude attempt at humor.'\ 
I don't suppose there was any joolry or anything 
like that on him? [He smiles wisely.^ 

XEACH 

{IrritablyJ}^ 
Why don't you search him? There he is. 

HARSH 

We will, in a minute. Who was the first to find 
him, d'ye know? 

ARMSBY 

[Pleasantly. '\ 
The landlord, I think. We didn't get here first. 
He doesn't know it's Berchansky yet, though. 
[Aside, to QuiNN.] Wait'U he hears he's lost that 
two thousand reward ! 

[QuiNN lifts his hands. Harsh goes over to 



204 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

McKagg. Skumm goes to the head of the 
hed,^ 

SKUMM 

l^Surveykig the scrawl about Officer Gavan.] 
Knockin' even before he dies, eh? Whaddy ya 
know! A swell chance he had to get away, with all 
o' us after him! 

\^A new noise is heard on the stair. Enter an 
Inspector of Police ini uniform, a sergeant of 
detectives, Elkas, Hagar Elkas, a fourth 
reporter who shows his badge to McKagg, 
and after them various onlookers and curios- 
ity mongers from the building and the street, 
whom McKagg pushes bacJc. The Inspector 
and Sergeant make their way to the bedside.'^ 

elkas 

[Excitedly, to McKagg.] 
Vuz it Berchansky yet ? Oi ! Oi ! 

MC kagg 
Man, aare ye just findin' that out now? 

THE INSPECTOR 

{Brusquely, turning to the crowd.^ 
Don't let all these people in here, Officer. Only 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 205 

the ones who have business here. Drive them out! 
Drive them out ! 

\^He looks at the detectives, who salute Mm.] 

MC KAGG 

[^Vigorousli/.ll 
Get back! Get back! What'll ye be afther 
waantin' in here, anyhow.'' 

[^He admits Elkas, Hagar, and the fourth re- 
porter. The latter joins the three. '\ 

THE INSPECTOR 

{^Surrownded by detectives. 1[ 
This is the man, is it.? Well, that's one trouble 
over, anyhow. Who found him.'' 

MC GRANAHAN 

{Sycophantically. ] 
The landlord here, chief — ^Elkas is his name, I 
believe. 

ELKAS 

[Pushing forward.'\ 
Here I am. It is Berchansky, you say ? Vere do 
I get de reward .'' 



206 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 



THE INSPECTOR 



Aw, don't get excited. There's no reward in this 
case. That was for catching him alive. Can't you 
see he's dead.'' [Elkas's face faUs,'\ 



EliEAS 



Ach, my house ! My gas ! He owes me for free 
veeks' rent! 



THE INSPECTOR 



[Paymg no attention to Elkas] 
Where's his old man? Anybody gone for him? 
We ought to get him here to identify him. [Turrir 
ing to McKagg.] When'd they find him. Officer? 

MC KAGG 

About nine this mornin', chief. The landlord 
caalled me in. 

THE INSPECTOR 

What about his old man? Anybody gone for 
him? 

MC KAGG 

Aafficer Vallally wint an hour ago. [^A noise is 
heard.^ I'm thinkin' he's comin' now, sir. 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 207 

MC GRAN AH AN 

[Ingratiatingly. ] 
Not a doubt in the world, chief. There are letters 
from him all over the place — on the walls, every- 
where. 

[He points to the writing at the head of the 
hed.'\ 

THE INSPECTOB 

Where are they.'* Let's see some of them. 

[Abmsby brings one forward. The Inspector 
takes it and reads. The noise at the head of 
the stairs increases. Berchansky, accom- 
panied hy an officer and several plain-clothes 
men, appears in the doorway. McKagg 
intakes way for them.'\ 

MC granahan 
[Softly.l 
Here's his old man, now, chief. 

[The Inspector turns to look. Berchansky, 
very pale, very worn, pauses at the door a 
moment, then, pushed and led hy the detec^ 
tives, comes forward. A hush falls over the 
room. McGranahan turns down the sheet, 
which has been pulled up, and Berchansky 



208 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 

loolcs at the corpse in silence. A pause en- 
sues.'} 

BERCHANSKY 

[Heatnty and sadly, folding his hands over Ms 
breast.l 
Yes, dat's my son. Dat's ray boy. [^Pauses, 
and looks around.} Gas? Veil, it's better den de 
oder. {^Pauses agam, while the silence endures.} 
Dat he should end so! [^He wipes his eyes.} It is< 
too bed! \^He shakes his head and looks arou/nd, 
again.} It is strange. Four years ago ve lived next 
door. 

THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE 

[Coming alongside.} 
You're sure it's your son, are you, Mr. Ber- 
chansky ? 

BERCHANSKY 

Yes. Yes. I know. [^He turns as if to go.} 

ELKAS 

[ Who has crowded forward, speaking with irri- 
tation.} 
So he vuz your son, vuz he? Such a scoundrel! 
He owes me for free veeks' rent, yet. An' he should 
come by my house ! He tells me his name is Abrams. 
I should lose two t'ousand dollars! If I know, he 



THE HAND OF THE POTTER 209 

vouldn't 'a' been here long. I fought he acted 
strange. 

BERCHANSKY 

I vill pay! I vill pay — only not to-day, please. 
I heven't so much. 

EliKAS 

[^Angrilif, while the police stare at Mm toler- 
antly. 1 
An' you ! vy shouldn't you bring your children up 
right? If you should bring him up right — ^if you 
should keep him off de streets, den he vouldn't do 
such a t'ing ! 

BERCHANSKY 

[^Sloidy, with suppressed emotion, as the police 
push Elkas bacJc.'\ 
My friend, hev you children? 

ELKAS 

{^Defiantly.'] 

Yes! 

BERCHANSKY 

[/w a quavering voice.'] 
Den you should know. Vy pull at de walls of my 
house ? Dey are already down ! 

CURTAIN 



3i^77-9 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

illliiiillllil 

015 908 070 5 



a'iU'i'li 



'M^i 



,i!< 



